o 
in 

o 

o 

CO 

o 


MYTHS  Sf  LEGENDS 
OF  JAPAN 


DEDICATED  TO 

MY  WIFE 


Fr. 


The  Lovers  who  exchanged  Fans. 
(Seepage  24.5) 


MYTHS  &  LEGENDS 
OF  JAPAN 


BY 

F.    HADLAND    DAVIS 

AUTHOR   OF   "THE  LAND   OF  THE  YELLOW  SPRING  AND  OTHER 
JAPANESE   STORIES"   "THE  PERSIAN  MYSTICS"  ETC. 


WITH  THIRTY-TWO  FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS 

BY 

EVELYN    PAUL 


T 


NEW  YORK 
THOMAS  Y.  CROWELL  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


PRINTED  BY 

BALL  ANT  YNE  &  COMPANY  LTD 

AT  THE  BALLANTYNE  PRESS 

TAVISTOCK  STREET  COVENT  GARDEN 

LONDON  ENGLAND 


PREFACE 

IN  writing  Myths  and  Legends  of  Japan  I  have 
been  much  indebted  to  numerous  authorities  on 
Japanese  subjects,  and  most  especially  to  Lafcadio 
Hearn,  who  first  revealed  to  me  the  Land  of  the  Gods. 
It  is  impossible  to  enumerate  all  the  writers  who  have 
assisted  me  in  preparing  this  volume.  I  have  borrowed 
from  their  work  as  persistently  as  Japan  has  borrowed 
from  other  countries,  and  I  sincerely  hope  that,  like 
Japan  herself,  I  have  made  good  use  of  the  material  I 
have  obtained  from  so  many  sources. 

I  am  indebted  to  Professor  Basil  Hall  Chamberlain 
for  placing  his  work  at  my  disposal,  and  I  have  found 
his  encyclopaedic  volume,  Things  Japanese,  his  transla- 
tion of  the  Kojiki,  his  Murray's  Hand-book  for  Japan  (in 
collaboration  with  W.  B.  Mason),  and  his  Japanese 
Poetry,  of  great  value.  I  thank  the  Executors  of  the 
late  Dr.  W.  G.  Aston  for  permission  to  quote  from 
this  Ieafne31mthority's  work.  I  have  made  use  of  his 
translation  of  the  Nihongi  (Transactions  of  the  Japan 
Society,  1896)  jmd  have  gathered  much  useful  material 
from  A  History  of  Japanese  Literature.  I  am  indebted 
to  Mr.  F.  Victor  Dickins  for  allowing  me  to  make  use 
of  his  translation  of  the  Tafatori  Monogatari  and  the 
Hd-p-ki.  My  friend  Mrs.  C.  M.  Salwey  has  taken  a 
sympathetic  interest  in  my  work,  which  has  been 
invaluable  to  me.  Her  book,  Fans  of  Japan,  has 
supplied  me  with  an  exquisite  legend,  and  many  of  her 
articles  have  yielded  a  rich  harvest.  I  warmly  thank 
Mr.  Yone  Noguchi  for  allowing  me  to  quote  from  his 
poetry,  and  also  Miss  Clara  A.  Walsh  for  so  kindly 
putting  at  my  disposal  her  fascinating  volume,  The 
Master-Singers  of  Japan,  published  by  Mr.  John  Murray 
in  the  "  Wisdom  of  the  East "  series.  My  thanks  are 


399735 


PREFACE 

due  to  Messrs.  Houghton,  Mifflin  Company,  for  allowing 
me  to  quote  from  Lafcadio  Hearn's  Glimpses  of 
Unfamiliar  Japan  and  The  Japanese  Letters  of  Lafcadio 
Hearn  ;  to  Messrs.  George  Allen  &  Sons,  for  giving  me 
permission  to  quote  from  Sir  F.  T.  Piggott's  Garden  of 
Japan  ;  to  the  Editor  of  the  Academy ,  for  permitting  me 
to  reprint  my  article  on  "  Japanese  Poetry,"  and  to 
Messrs.  Cassell  and  Co.  Ltd.,  for  allowing  me  to 
reproduce  "The  Garden  of  Japan,"  which  I  originally 
contributed  to  Cassell' s  Magazine.  The  works  of  Dr. 
William  Anderson,  Sir  Ernest  Satow,  Lord  Redesdale, 
Madame  Ozaki,  Mr.  R.  Gordon  Smith,  Captain 
F.  Brinkley,  the  late  Rev.  Arthur  Lloyd,  Mr.  Henri 
L.  Joly,  Mr.  K.  Okakura,  the  Rev.  W.  E.  Griffis, 
and  others,  have  been  of  immense  value  to  me,  and  in 
addition  I  very  warmly  thank  all  those  writers  I  have 
left  unnamed,  through  want  of  space,  whose  works  have 
assisted  me  in  the  preparation  of  this  volume. 


VI 


CONTENTS 

CHAP.  PAGE 

INTRODUCTION  xi 

i  PERIOD  OF  THE  GODS  21 

II.  HEROES  AND  WARRIORS  38 

III.  THE  BAMBOO-CUTTER  AND  THE  MOON-MAIDEN  65 

IV.  BUDDHA  LEGENDS  80 
V.  Fox  LEGENDS  93 

VI.  Jizo,  THE  GOD  OF  CHILDREN  104 

VII.  LEGEND  IN  JAPANESE  ART  112 

VIII.  THE  STAR  LOVERS  AND  THE  ROBE  OF  FEATHERS        126 

IX.  LEGENDS  OF  MOUNT  FUJI  130 

X.  BELLS  140 

XI.   YUKI-ONNA,   THE    LADY   OF  THE   SNOW  149 

XII.  FLOWERS  AND  GARDENS  154 

XIII.  TREES  174 

XIV.  MIRRORS  190 

XV.    KWANNON     AND      BENTEN.  *   DAIKOKU,     EBISU,     AND 

HOTEI  199 

XVI.  DOLLS  AND  BUTTERFLIES  214 

XVII.  FESTIVALS  220 

XVIII.  THE  PEONY-LANTERN  228 

XIX.  KOBO  DAISHI,  NICHIREN,  AND  SHODO  SHONIN  234 

XX.  FANS  243 

XXL  THUNDER  250 

^•v^, x  vii 


CONTENTS 

CHAP.  PAGE 

XXII.  ANIMAL  LEGENDS  255 

XXIII.  BIRD  AND  INSECT  LEGENDS  276 

XXIV.  CONCERNING  TEA  290 
XXV.  LEGENDS  OF  THE  WEIRD  300 

XXVI.  THREE  MAIDENS  313 

XXVII.  LEGENDS  OF  THE  SEA  323 

XXVIII.  SUPERSTITIONS  342 

XXIX.  SUPERNATURAL  BEINGS  350 

XXX.  THE  TRANSFORMATION   OF   ISSUNBOSHI  AND   KIN- 

TARO,  THE  GOLDEN  BOY  364 

XXXI.  MISCELLANEOUS  LEGENDS  370 
A  NOTE  ON  JAPANESE  POETRY  380 
GODS  AND  GODDESSES  387 
GENEALOGY  OF  THE  AGE  OF  THE  GODS  393 
BIBLIOGRAPHY  397 
INDEX  OF  POETICAL  QUOTATIONS  402 
GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX  403 


vi  11 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

The  Lovers  who  exchanged  Fans  Frontispiece 

Uzume  awakens  the  Curiosity  of  Ama-terasu  28 

Susa-no-o  and  Kushi-nada-hime  30 

Hoori  and  the  Sea  God's  Daughter  34 

Yorimasa  slays  the  Vampire  38 
Yorimasa  and  Benkei  attacked  by  a  ghostly  company  of  the 

Taira  Clan  42 

Raiko  and  the  Enchanted  Maiden  46 

Raiko  slays  the  Goblin  of  Oyeyama  50 

Prince  Yamato  and  Takeru  52 

Momotaro  and  the  Pheasant  58 

Hidesato  and  the  Centipede  62 

The  Moonfolk  demand  the  Lady  Kaguya  76 

Buddha  and  the  Dragon  80 

The  Mikado  and  the  Jewel  Maiden  96 

Jizo  108 

A  Kakemono  Ghost  124 

Sengen,  the  Goddess  of  Mount  Fuji  134 

Visu  on  Mount  Fuji-Yama  138 

Kiyo  and  the  Priest  146 

Yuki-Onna,  the  Lady  of  the  Snow  150 

Shing6  and  Yoshisawa  by  the  Violet  Well  166 

Matsu  i  escues  Teoyo  188 

Shinzaburo  recognised  Tsuyu  and  her  maid  Yone  228 

The  Jelly-Fish  and  the  Monkey  272 

The  Firefly  Battle  286 

Hoichi-the- Earless  304 

The  Maiden  of  Unai  3I4 

Urashima  and  the  Sea  King's  Daughter  326 

Tokoyo  and  the  Sea  Serpent  334 

The  Kappa  and  his  Victim  35° 

Kato  Sayemon  in  his  Palace  of  the  Shogun  Ashikaga  370 

Totaro  and  Samebito  37° 

ix 


INTRODUCTION 


\ 


PIERRE  LOTI  in  Madame  ChrysanMme,  Gilbert 
and  Sullivan  in  The  Mikado,  and  Sir  Edwin 
Arnold  in  Seas  and  Lands,  gave  us  the  im- 
pression that  Japan  was  a  real  fairyland  in  the  Far  East. 
We  were  delighted  with  the  prettiness  and  quaintness 
of  that  country,  and  still  more  with  the  prettiness  and 
quaintness  of  the  Japanese  people.  We  laughed  at 
their  topsyturvy  ways,  regarded  the  Japanese  woman, 
in  her  rich-coloured  kimono,  as  altogether  charming  and 
fascinating,  and  had  a  vague  notion  that  the  principal 
features  of  Nippon  were  the  tea-houses,  cherry-blossom, 
and  geisha.  Twenty  years  ago  we  did  not  take  Japan 
very  seriously.  We  still  listen  to  the  melodious  music 
of  The  Mikado,  but  now  we  no  longer  regard  Japan  as 
a  sort  of  glorified  willow-pattern  plate.  The  Land  of 
the  Rising  Sun  has  become  the  Land  of  the  Risen  Sun, 
for  we  have  learnt  that  her  quaintness  and  prettiness, 
her  fairy-like  manners  and  customs,  were  but  the  outer 
signs  of  a  great  and  progressive  nation.  To-day  we 
recognise  Japan  as  a  power  in  the  East,  and  her  victory 
over  the  Russian  has  made  her  army  and  navy  famous 
throughout  the  world. 

The  Japanese  have  always  been  an  imitative  nation, 
quick  to  absorb  and  utilise  the  religion,  art,  and  social 
life  of  China,  and,  having  set  their  own  national  seal 
upon  what  they  have  borrowed  from  the  Celestial 
Kingdom,  to  look  elsewhere  for  material  that  should 
strengthen  and  advance  their  position.  This  imitative 
quality  is  one  of  Japan's  most  marked  characteristics. 
She  has  ever  been  loath  to  impart  information  to  others, 
but  ready  at  all  times  to  gain  access  to  any  form  of 
knowledge  likely  to  make  for  her  advancement.  In 
the  fourteenth  century  Kenko  wrote  in  his  Tsure-dzure- 


INTRODUCTION 

gusa  :  "  Nothing  opens  one's  eyes  so  much  as  travel, 
no  matter  where/'  and  the  twentieth-century  Japanese 
has  put  this  excellent  advice  into  practice.  He  has 
travelled  far  and  wide,  and  has  made  good  use  of  his 
varied  observations.  Japan's  power  of  imitation 
amounts  to  genius.  East  and  West  have  contributed  to 
her  greatness,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  surprise  to  many  of 
us  that  a  country  so  long  isolated  and  for  so  many  years 
bound  by  feudalism  should,  within  a  comparatively  short 
space  of  time,  master  our  Western  system  of  warfare,  as 
well  as  many  of  our  ethical  and  social  ideas,  and  become 
a  great  world-power.  But  Japan's  success  has  not  been 
due  entirely  to  clever  imitation,  neither  has  her  place 
among  the  foremost  nations  been  accomplished  with  such 
meteor-like  rapidity  as  some  would  have  us  suppose. 

We  hear  a  good  deal  about  the  New  Japan  to-day, 
and  are  too  prone  to  forget  the  significance  of  the  Old 
upon  which  the  present  regime  has  been  founded. 
Japan  learnt  from  England,  Germany  and  America  all 
the  tactics  of  modern  warfare.  She  established  an 
efficient  army  and  navy  on  Western  lines  ;  but  it  must 
be  remembered  that  Japan's  great  heroes  of  to-day, 
Togo  and  Oyama,  still  have  in  their  veins  something  of 
the  old  samurai  spirit,  still  reflect  through  their 
modernity  something  of  the  meaning  of  Eushido.  The 
Japanese  character  is  still  Japanese  and  not  Western. 
Her  greatness  is  to  be  found  in  her  patriotism,  in  her 
loyalty  and  whole-hearted  love  of  her  country. 
Shintoism  has  taught  her  to  revere  the  mighty  dead  ; 
Buddhism,  besides  adding  to  her  religious  ideals,  has 
contributed  to  her  literature  and  art,  and  Christianity 
has  had  its  effect  in  introducing  all  manner  of  beneficent 
social  reforms. 

There  are  many  conflicting  theories  in  regard  to  the 
racial  origin  of  the  Japanese  people,  and  we  have  no 


Xll 


INTRODUCTION 

definite  knowledge  on  the  subject.  The  first  inhabitants 
of  Japan  were  probably  the  Ainu,  an  Aryan  people  who 
possibly  came  from  North-Eastern  Asia  at  a  time  when 
the  distance  separating  the  Islands  from  the  mainland 
was  not  so  great  as  it  is  to-day.  The  Ainu  were 
followed  by  two  distinct  Mongol  invasions,  and  these 
invaders  had  no  difficulty  in  subduing  their  predecessors  ; 
but  in  course  of  time  the  Mongols  were  driven  north- 
ward by  Malays  from  the  Philippines.  "  By  the  year 
A.D.  500  the  Ainu,  the  Mongol,  and  the  Malay  elements 
in  the  population  had  become  one  nation  by  much  the 
same  process  as  took  place  in  England  after  the  Norman 
Conquest.  To  the  national  characteristics  it  may  be 
inferred  that  the  Ainu  contributed  the  power  of 
resistance,  the  Mongol  the  intellectual  qualities,  and  the 
Malay  that  handiness  and  adaptability  which  are  the 
heritage  of  sailor-men."1  Such  authorities  as  Baelz 
and  Rein  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  Japanese  are 
Mongols,  and  although  they  have  intermarried  with 
the  Ainu,  "  the  two  nations,"  writes  Professor 
B.  H.  Chamberlain,  "  are  as  distinct  as  the  whites  and 
reds  in  North  America."  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  the 
Ainu  is  looked  down  upon  in  Japan,  and  regarded  as  a 
hairy  aboriginal  of  interest  to  the  anthropologist  and 
the  showman,  a  poor  despised  creature,  who  worships 
the  bear  as  the  emblem  of  strength  and  fierceness,  he 
has,  nevertheless,  left  his  mark  upon  Japan.  Fuji  was 
possibly  a  corruption  of  Huchi,  or  Fuchi,  the  Ainu 
Goddess  of  Fire,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  these 
aborigines  originated  a  vast  number  of  geographical 
names,  particularly  in  the  north  of  the  main  island,  that 
are  recognisable  to  this  day.  We  can  also  trace  Ainu 
influence  in  regard  to  certain  Japanese  superstitions,  such 
as  the  belief  in  the  Kappa,  or  river  monster. 

i  The  Full  Recognition  of  Japan,  by  Robert  P.  Porter. 


Xlll 


INTRODUCTION 

The  Chinese  called  Japan  Jih-pen,  "  the  place  the 
sun  comes  from,"  because  the  archipelago  was  situated 
on  the  east  of  their  own  kingdom,  and  our  word  Japan 
and  Nippon  are  corruptions  of  Jih-pen.  Marco  Polo 
called  the  country  Zipangu,  and  one  ancient  name 
describes  it  as  "  The-Luxuriant-Reed-Plains-the-land- 
of-Fresh-Rice-Ears-of-a-Thousand  -  Autumns-of- Long- 
Five-Hundred-Autumns."  We  are  not  surprised  to 
find  that  such  a  very  lengthy  and  descriptive  title  is  not 
used  by  the  Japanese  to-day  ;  but  it  is  of  interest  to 
know  that  the  old  word  for  Japan,  Yamato,  is  still 
frequently  employed,  Yamato  Damashii  signifying  "The 
Spirit  of  Unconquerable  Japan."  Then,  again,  we  still 
hear  Japan  referred  to  as  The  Island  of  the  Dragon-fly. 
We  are  told  in  the  old  Japanese  Chronicles  that  the 
Emperor,  in  630  B.C.,  ascended  a  hill  called  Waki  Kamu 
no  Hatsuma,  from  which  he  was  able  to  view  the  land 
on  all  sides.  He  was  much  impressed  by  the  beauty  of 
the  country,  and  said  that  it  resembled  "  a  dragon-fly 
licking  its  hinder  parts,"  and  the  Island  received  the 
name  of  Akitsu- Shima  ("Island  of  the  Dragon-fly  "). 

The  Kojiki,  or  "  Records  of  Ancient  Matters,"  com- 
pleted A.D.  712,  deals  with  the  early  traditions  of  the 
Japanese  race,  commencing  with  the  myths,  the  basis  of 
Shintoism,  and  gradually  becoming  more  historical  until 
it  terminates  in  A.D.  628.  Dr.  W.  G.  Aston  writes  in 
A  History  of  Japanese  Literature  :  "  The  Kojikt,  however 
valuable  it  may  be  for  research  into  the  mythology,  the 
manners,  the  language,  and  the  legends  of  early  Japan, 
is  a  very  poor  production,  whether  we  consider  it  as 
literature  or  as  a  record  of  facts.  As  history  it  cannot 
be  compared  with  the  Nihongi?  a  contemporary  work 

1  Chronicles  of  Japan,  completed  A.D.  720,  deals,  in  an  interesting 
manner,  with  the  myths,  legends,  poetry  and  history  from  the  earliest 
times  down  to  A.D.  697. 
xiv 


INTRODUCTION 

in  Chinese  ;  while  the  language  is  a  strange  mixture  of 
Chinese  and  Japanese,  which  there  has  been  little 
attempt  to  endue  with  artistic  quality.  The  circum- 
stances under  which  it  was  composed  are  a  partial 
explanation  of  the  very  curious  style  in  which  it  is 
written.  We  are  told  that  a  man  named  Yasumaro, 
learned  in  Chinese,  took  it  down  from  the  lips  of  a 
certain  Hiyeda  no  Are,  who  had  such  a  wonderful 
memory  that  he  c  could  repeat  with  his  mouth  whatever 
was  placed  before  his  eyes,  and  record  in  his  heart 
whatever  struck  his  ears.7 '  It  is  possible  that  Hiyeda 
no  Are  was  one  of  the  Kataribe  or  "  Reciters,"  whose 
duty  it  was  to  recite  "  ancient  words "  before  the 
Mikado  at  the  Court  of  Nara  on  certain  State  occasions. 
The  Kojiki  and  the  Nihongi  are  the  sources  from 
which  we  learn  the  early  myths  and  legends  of  Japan. 
In  their  pages  we  are  introduced  to  Izanagi  and 
Izanami,  Ama-terasu,  Susa-no-o,  and  numerous  other 
divinities,  and  these  august  beings  provide  us  with 
stories  that  are  quaint,  beautiful,  quasi-humorous,  and 
sometimes  a  little  horrible.  What  could  be  more  na'ive 
than  the  love-making  of  Izanagi  and  Izanami,  who  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  marrying  each  other  after  seeing  the 
mating  of  two  wagtails  ?  In  this  ancient  myth  we 
trace  the  ascendency  of  the  male  over  the  female,  an 
ascendency  maintained  in  Japan  until  recent  times, 
fostered,  no  doubt,  by  Kaibara's  Onna  Daigafyt,  "  The 
Greater  Learning  for  Women."  But  in  the  protracted 
quarrel  between  the  Sun  Goddess  and  her  brother,  the 
Impetuous  Male,  the  old  chroniclers  lay  emphasis  upon 
the  villainy  of  Susa-no-o  ;  and  Ama-terasu,  a  curious 
mingling  of  the  divine  and  the  feminine,  is  portrayed 
as  an  ideal  type  of  Goddess.  She  is  revealed 
preparing  for  warfare,  making  fortifications  by 
stamping  upon  the  ground,  and  she  is  also  depicted 


XV 


INTRODUCTION 

peeping  out  of  her  rock-cavern  and  gazing  in  the 
Sacred  Mirror.  Ama-terasu  is  the  central  figure  in 
Japanese  mythology,  for  it  is  from  the  Sun  Goddess 
that  the  Mikados  are  descended.  In  the  cycle  of 
legends  known  as  the  Period  of  the  Gods,  we  are 
introduced  to  the  Sacred  Treasures,  we  discover  the 
origin  of  the  Japanese  dance,  and  in  imagination 
wander  through  the  High  Plain  of  Heaven,  set  foot 
upon  the  Floating  Bridge,  enter  the  Central  Land  of 
Reed-Plains,  peep  into  the  Land  of  Yomi,  and  follow 
Prince  Fire-Fade  into  the  Palace  of  the  Sea  King. 

Early  heroes  and  warriors  are  always  regarded  as 
minor  divinities,  and  the  very  nature  of  Shintoism, 
associated  with  ancestor  worship,  has  enriched  those  of 
Japan  with  many  a  fascinating  legend.  For  strength, 
skill,  endurance,  and  a  happy  knack  of  overcoming  all 
manner  of  difficulties  by  a  subtle  form  of  quick-witted 
enterprise,  the  Japanese  hero  must  necessarily  take  a 
high  position  among  the  famous  warriors  of  other 
countries.  There  is  something  eminently  chivalrous 
about  the  heroes  of  Japan  that  calls  for  special  notice. 
The  most  valiant  men  are  those  who  champion  the 
cause  of  the  weak  or  redress  evil  and  tyranny  of  every 
kind,  and  we  trace  in  the  Japanese  hero,  who  is  very  far 
from  being  a  crude  swashbuckler,  these  most  excellent 
qualities.  He  is  not  always  above  criticism,  and 
-sometimes  we  find  in  him  a  touch  of  cunning,  but  such 
a  characteristic  is  extremely  rare,  and  very  far  from 
being  a  national  trait.  An  innate  love  of  poetry  and 
the  beautiful  has  had  its  refining  influence  upon  the 
Japanese  hero,  with  the  result  that  his  strength  is  com- 
bined with  gentleness. 

Benkei  is  one  of  the  most  lovable  of  Japanese  heroes. 
He  possessed  the  strength  of  many  men,  his  tact 
amounted  to  genius,  his  sense  of  humour  was  strongly 
xvi 


INTRODUCTION 

developed,  and  the  most  loving  of  Japanese  mothers 
could  not  have  shown  more  gentleness  when  his 
master's  wife  gave  birth  to  a  child.  When  Yoshitsune 
and  Benkei,  at  the  head  of  the  Minamoto  host,  had 
finally  vanquished  the  Taira  at  the  sea-fight  of  Dan- 
no-ura,  their  success  awakened  the  jealousy  of  the 
Shogun,  and  the  two  great  warriors  were  forced  to  fly  the 
country.  We  follow  them  across  the  sea,  over  moun- 
tains, outwitting  again  and  again  their  numerous 
enemies.  At  Matsue  a  great  army  was  sent  out 
against  these  unfortunate  warriors.  Camp-fires 
stretched  in  a  glittering  line  about  the  last  resting-place 
of  Yoshitsune  and  Benkei.  In  an  apartment  were 
Yoshitsune  with  his  wife  and  little  child.  Death  stood 
in  the  room,  too,  and  it  was  better  that  Death  should 
come  at  the  order  of  Yoshitsune  than  at  the  command 
of  the  enemy  without  the  gate.  His  child  was  killed 
by  an  attendant,  and,  holding  his  beloved  wife's  head 
under  his  left  arm,  he  plunged  his  sword  deep  into  her 
throat.  Having  accomplished  these  things,  Yoshitsune 
committed  hara-kiri.  Benkei,  however,  faced  the 
enemy.  He  stood  with  his  great  legs  apart,  his  back 
pressed  against  a  rock.  When  the  dawn  came  he  was 
still  standing  with  his  legs  apart,  a  thousand  arrows  in 
that  brave  body  of  his.  Benkei  was  dead,  but  his  was 
a  death  too  strong  to  fall.  The  sun  shone  on  a  man 
who  was  a  true  hero,  who  had  ever  made  good  his 
words  :  <c  Where  my  lord  goes,  to  victory  or  to  death, 
I  shall  follow  him."' 

Japan  is  a  mountainous  country,  and  in  such 
countries  we  expect  to  find  a  race  of  hardy,  brave  men, 
and  certainly  the  Land  of  the  Rising  Sun  has  given  us 
many  a  warrior  worthy  to  rank  with  the  Knights  of 
King  Arthur.  More  than  one  legend  deals  with  the 
destruction  of  devils  and  goblins,  and  of  the  rescue  of 

B 


xvu 


INTRODUCTION 

maidens  who  had  the  misfortune  to  be  their  captives. 
One  hero  slays  a  great  monster  that  crouched  upon  the 
roof  of  the  Emperor's  palace,  another  despatches  the 
Goblin  of  Oyeyama,  another  thrusts  his  sword  through 
a  gigantic  spider,  and  another  slays  a  serpent.  All  the 
Japanese  heroes,  whatever  enterprise  they  may  be 
engaged  in,  reveal  the  spirit  of  high  adventure,  and 
that  loyalty  of  purpose,  that  cool  disregard  for  danger 
and  death  which  are  still  characteristic  of  the  Japanese 
people  to-day. 

"The  Bamboo-Cutter  and  the  Moon-Maiden" 
(Chapter  III)  is  adapted  from  a  tenth-century  story 
called  Taketori  Monogatari^  and  is  the  earliest  example 
of  the  Japanese  romance.  The  author  is  unknown,  but 
he  must  have  had  an  intimate  knowledge  of  court  life 
in  Kyoto.  All  the  characters  in  this  very  charming 
legend  are  Japanese,  but  most  of  the  incidents  have 
been  borrowed  from  China,  a  country  so  rich  in 
picturesque  fairy-lore.  Mr.  F.  V.  Dickins  writes  con- 
cerning the  Taketori  Monogatari  :  "  The  art  and  grace 
of  the  story  of  the  Lady  Kaguya  are  native,  its 
unstrained  pathos,  its  natural  sweetness,  are  its  own, 
and  in  simple  charm  and  purity  of  thought  and  language 
it  has  no  rival  in  the  fiction  of  either  the  Middle 
Kingdom  or  of  the  Dragon-fly  Land." 

In  studying  Japanese  legend  one  is  particularly  struck 
by  its  universality  and  also  by  its  very  sharp  contrasts. 
Most  nations  have  deified  the  sun  and  moon,  the  stars 
and  mountains,  and  all  the  greatest  works  of  Nature  ; 
but  the  Japanese  have  described  the  red  blossoms  of 
azaleas  as  the  fires  of  the  Gods,  and  the  white  snow  of 
Fuji  as  the  garments  of  Divine  Beings.  Their  legend, 
on  the  one  hand  at  any  rate,  is  essentially  poetical,  and 
those  who  worshipped  Mount  Fuji  also  had  ghostly 
tales  to  tell  about  the  smallest  insect.  Top  much  stress 

xviii 


INTRODUCTION 

cannot  be  laid  upon  Japan's  love  of  Nature.  The  early 
myths  recorded  in  the  Kojity  and  Nihongi  are  of  con- 
siderable interest,  but  they  cannot  be  compared  with 
the  later  legends  that  have  given  souls  to  trees  and 
flowers  and  butterflies,  or  with  those  pious  traditions 
that  have  revealed  so  tenderly  and  yet  so  forcibly  the 
divine  significance  of  Nature.  The  Festival  of  the 
Dead  could  only  have  originated  among  a  people  to 
whom  the  beautiful  is  the  mainstay  and  joy  of  life,  for 
that  festival  is  nothing  less  than  a  call  to  the  departed 
dead  to  return  to  their  old  earthly  haunts  in  the  summer- 
time, to  cross  green  hills  dotted  with  pine-trees,  to 
wander  down  winding  ways,  by  lake  and  seashore,  to 
linger  in  old,  well-loved  gardens,  and  to  pass  into 
homes  where,  without  being  seen,  they  see  so  much. 
To  the  Japanese  mind,  to  those  who  still  preserve  the 
spirit  of  Old  Yamato,  the  most  glowing  account  of  a 
Buddhist  Paradise  is  not  so  fair  as  Japan  in  the  summer- 
time. 

Perhaps  it  is  as  well  that  Japanese  myth,  legend, 
fairy  tale,  and  folk-lore  are  not  exclusively  poetical,  or 
we  should  be  in  danger  of  becoming  satiated  with  too 
much  sweetness.  It  may  be  that  we  admire  the  arches 
of  a  Gothic  cathedral  none  the  less  for  having  gazed 
upon  the  hideous  gargoyles  on  the  outside  of  the 
sacred  edifice,  and  in  the  legends  of  Japan  we  find 
many  grotesques  in  sharp  contrast  with  the  traditions 
associated  with  the  gentle  and  loving  Jizo.  There  is 
plenty  of  crude  realism  in  Japanese  legend.  We  are 
repelled  by  the  Thunder  God's  favourite  repast,  amazed 
by  the  magical  power  of  foxes  and  cats  ;  and  the  story  of 
"  Ho'ichi-the-Earless  "  and  of  the  corpse-eating  priest 
afford  striking  examples  of  the  combination  of  the 
weird  and  the  horrible.  In  one  story  we  laugh  over 
the  antics  of  a  performing  kettle,  and  in  another  we  are 

XIX 


INTRODUCTION 

almost  moved  to  tears  when  we  read  about  a  little 
Japanese  quilt  that  murmured  :  "  Elder  Brother 
probably  is  cold  ?  Nay,  thou  probably  art  cold  ? " 

We  have  had  numerous  volumes  of  Japanese  fairy 
tales,  but  hitherto  no  book  has  appeared  giving  a  com- 
prehensive study  of  the  myths  and  legends  of  a  country 
so  rich  in  quaint  and  beautiful  traditions,  and  it  is 
hoped  that  the  present  volume,  the  result  of  much 
pleasant  labour,  will  be  a  real  contribution  to  the 
subject.  I  have  made  no  attempt  to  make  a  complete 
collection  of  Japanese  myths  and  legends  because  their 
number  is  legion  ;  but  I  have  endeavoured  to  make  a 
judicious  selection  that  shall  at  any  rate  be  representa- 
tive, and  many  of  the  stories  contained  in  this  volume 
will  be  new  to  the  general  reader. 

Lafcadio  Hearn  wrote  in  one  of  his  letters  :  "  The 
fairy  world  seized  my  soul  again,  very  softly  and 
sweetly — as  a  child  might  a  butterfly,"  and  if  we  too 
would  adopt  a  similar  spirit,  we  shall  journey  to  the 
Land  of  the  Gods,  where  the  great  Kobo  Daishi  will 
write  upon  the  sky  and  running  water,  upon  our  very 
hearts,  something  of  the  glamour  and  magic  of  Old 
Japan.  With  Kobo  Daishi  for  guide  we  shall  witness 
the  coming  of  Mount  Fuji,  wander  in  the  Palace  of  the 
Sea  King  and  in  the  Land  of  Perpetual  Youth,  watch 
the  combats  of  mighty  heroes,  listen  to  the  wisdom  of 
saints,  cross  the  Celestial  River  on  a  bridge  of  birds, 
and  when  we  are  weary  nestle  in  the  long  sleeve  of  the 
ever-smiling  Jizo. 

F.    HADLAND   DAVIS 


CHAPTER  I :  THE  PERIOD  OF 
THE  GODS 

In  the  Beginning 

WE  are  told  that  in  the  very  beginning  "  Heaven 
and  Earth  were  not  yet  separated,  and  the 
In  and  To  not  yet  divided."  This  reminds 
us  of  other  cosmogony  stories.  The  In  and  Toy  corre- 
sponding to  the  Chinese  Tang  and  Tin,  were  the  male 
and  female  principles.  It  was  more  convenient  for  the 
old  Japanese  writers  to  imagine  the  coming  into  being 
of  creation  in  terms  not  very  remote  from  their  own 
manner  of  birth.  In  Polynesian  mythology  we  find 
pretty  much  the  same  conception,  where  Rangi  and  Papa 
represented  Heaven  and  Earth,  and  further  parallels 
may  be  found  in  Egyptian  and  other  cosmogony  stories. 
In  nearly  all  we  find  the  male  and  female  principles 
taking  a  prominent,  and  after  all  very  rational,  place. 
We  are  told  in  the  Nihongi  that  these  male  and  female 
principles  "formed  a  chaotic  mass  like  an  egg  which 
was  of  obscurely  defined  limits  and  contained  germs." 
Eventually  this  egg  was  quickened  into  life,  and  the 
purer  and  clearer  part  was  drawn  out  and  formed 
Heaven,  while  the  heavier  element  settled  down  and 
became  Earth,  which  was  "  compared  to  the  floating  of 
a  fish  sporting  on  the  surface  of  the  water."  A 
mysterious  form  resembling  a  reed-shoot  suddenly 
appeared  between  Heaven  and  Earth,  and  as  suddenly 
became  transformed  into  a  God  called  Kuni-toko-tachi, 
("  Land-eternal-stand-of-august-thing  ").  We  may  pass 
over  the  other  divine  births  until  we  come  to  the 
important  deities  known  as  Izanagi  and  Izanami 
("  Male-who-invites  "  and  "  Female-who-invites  "). 
About  these  beings  has  been  woven  an  entrancing 
myth. 

21 


MYtHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Izanagi  and  Izanami 

Izanagi  and  Izanami  stood  on  the  Floating  Bridge 
of  Heaven  and  looked  down  into  the  abyss.  They 
inquired  of  each  other  if  there  were  a  country  far,  far 
below  the  great  Floating  Bridge.  They  were  determined 
to  find  out.  In  order  to  do  so  they  thrust  down  a  jewel- 
spear,  and  found  the  ocean.  Raising  the  spear  a  little, 
water  dripped  from  it,  coagulated,  and  became  the  island 
of  Onogoro-jima  ("  Spontaneously-congeal-island  "). 

Upon  this  island  the  two  deities  descended.  Shortly 
afterwards  they  desired  to  become  husband  and  wife, 
though  as  a  matter  of  fact  they  were  brother  and  sister  ; 
but  such  a  relationship  in  the  East  has  never  precluded 
marriage.  These  deities  accordingly  set  up  a  pillar  on 
the  island.  Izanagi  walked  round  one  way,  and 
Izanami  the  other.  When  they  met,  Izanami  said  : 
"How  delightful!  I  have  met  with  a  lovely  youth." 
One  would  have  thought  that  this  naive  remark  would 
have  pleased  Izanagi  ;  but  it  made  him  extremely 
angry,  and  he  retorted  :  "  I  am  a  man,  and  by  that 
right  should  have  spoken  first.  How  is  it  that  on  the 
contrary  thou,  a  woman,  shouldst  have  been  the  first  to 
speak  ?  This  is  unlucky.  Let  us  go  round  again." 
So  it  happened  that  the  two  deities  started  afresh. 
Once  again  they  met,  and  this  time  Izanagi  remarked  : 
"  How  delightful !  I  have  met  a  lovely  maiden." 
Shortly  after  this  very  ingenuous  proposal  Izanagi  and 
Izanami  were  married. 

When  Izanami  had  given  birth  to  islands,  seas,  rivers, 
herbs,  and  trees,  she  and  her  lord  consulted  together, 
saying  :  "  We  have  now  produced  the  Great-Eight- 
Island  country,  with  the  mountains,  rivers,  herbs,  and 
trees.  Why  should  we  not  produce  some  one  who 
shall  be  the  Lord  of  the  Universe  ?" 

22 


IZANAGI  AND  IZANAMI 

The  wish  of  these  deities  was  fulfilled,  for  in  due 
season  Ama-terasu,  the  Sun  Goddess,  was  born.  She 
was  known  as  "  Heaven-Illumine-of-Great-Deity,"  and 
was  so  extremely  beautiful  that  her  parents  determined 
to  send  her  up  the  Ladder  of  Heaven,  and  in  the  high 
sky  above  to  cast  for  ever  her  glorious  sunshine  upon 
the  earth. 

Their  next  child  was  the  Moon  God,  Tsuki-yumi. 
His  silver  radiance  was  not  so  fair  as  the  golden 
effulgence  of  his  sister,  the  Sun  Goddess,  but  he  was, 
nevertheless,  deemed  worthy  to  be  her  consort.  So  up 
the  Ladder  of  Heaven  climbed  the  Moon  God.  They 
soon  quarrelled,  and  Ama-terasu  said  :  "  Thou  art  a 
wicked  deity.  I  must  not  see  thee  face  to  face.'* 
They  were  therefore  separated  by  a  day  and  night,  and 
dwelt  apart. 

The  next  child  of  Izanagi  and  Izanami  was  Susa-no-o 
("  The  Impetuous  Male  ").  We  shall  return  to  Susa-no-o 
and  his  doings  later  on,  and  content  ourselves  for  the 
present  with  confining  our  attention  to  his  parents. 

Izanami  gave  birth  to  the  Fire  God,  Kagu-tsuchi. 
The  birth  of  this  child  made  her  extremely  ill.  Izanagi 
knelt  on  the  ground,  bitterly  weeping  and  lamenting. 
But  his  sorrow  availed  nothing,  and  Izanami  crept  away 
into  the  Land  of  Yomi  (Hades). 

Her  lord,  however,  could  not  live  without  her,  and 
he  too  went  into  the  Land  of  Yomi.  When  he  dis- 
covered her,  she  said  regretfully :  "  My  lord  and 
husband,  why  is  thy  coming  so  late  ?  I  have  already 
eaten  of  the  cooking-furnace  of  Yomi.  Nevertheless, 
I  am  about  to  lie  down  to  rest.  I  pray  thee  do  not 
look  at  me." 

Izanagi,  moved  by  curiosity,  refused  to  fulfil  her 
wish.  It  was  dark  in  the  Land  of  Yomi,  so  he  secretly 
took  out  his  many-toothed  comb,  broke  off  a  piece,  and 

23 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

lighted  it.  The  sight  that  greeted  him  was  ghastly 
and  horrible  in  the  extreme.  His  once  beautiful  wife 
had  now  become  a  swollen  and  festering  creature. 
Eight  varieties  of  Thunder  Gods  rested  upon  her. 
The  Thunder  of  the  Fire,  Earth,  and  Mountain  were 
all  there  leering  upon  him,  and  roaring  with  their  great 
voices. 

Izanagi  grew  frightened  and  disgusted,  saying  :  "  I 
have  come  unawares  to  a  hideous  and  polluted  land." 
His  wife  retorted  :  "  Why  didst  thou  not  observe  that 
which  I  charged  thee  ?  Now  am  I  put  to  shame." 

Izanami  was  so  angry  with  her  lord  for  ignoring  her 
wish  and  breaking  in  upon  her  privacy  that  she  sent 
the  Eight  Ugly  Females  of  Yomi  to  pursue  him. 
Izanagi  drew  his  sword  and  fled  down  the  dark  regions 
of  the  Underworld.  As  he  ran  he  took  off  his  head- 
dress, and  flung  it  to  the  ground.  It  immediately  be- 
came a  bunch  of  grapes.  When  the  Ugly  Females 
saw  it,  they  bent  down  and  ate  the  luscious  fruit. 
Izanami  saw  them  pause,  and  deemed  it  wise  to  pursue 
her  lord  herself. 

By  this  time  Izanagi  had  reached  the  Even  Pass  of 
Yomi.  Here  he  placed  a  huge  rock,  and  eventually 
came  face  to  face  with  Izanami.  One  would  scarcely 
have  thought  that  amid  such  exciting  adventures 
Izanagi  would  have  solemnly  declared  a  divorce.  But 
this  is  just  what  he  did  do.  To  this  proposal  his  wife 
replied  :  "  My  dear  lord  and  husband,  if  thou  sayest 
so,  I  will  strangle  to  death  the  people  in  one  day." 
This  plaintive  and  threatening  speech  in  no  way  in- 
fluenced Izanagi,  who  readily  replied  that  he  would 
cause  to  be  born  in  one  day  no  less  than  fifteen 
hundred. 

The  above  remark  must  have  proved  conclusive,  for 
when  we  next  hear  of  Izanagi  he  had  escaped  from  the 
24 


AMA-TERASU  AND  SUSA-NO-O 

Land  of  Yomi,  from  an  angry  wife,  and  from  the  Eight 
Ugly  Females.  After  his  escape  he  was  engaged  in 
copious  ablutions,  by  way  of  purification,  from  which 
numerous  deities  were  born.  We  read  in  the  Nihongi  : 
"  After  this,  Izanagi,  his  divine  task  having  been  ac- 
complished, and  his  spirit-career  about  to  suffer  a  change, 
built  himself  an  abode  of  gloom  in  the  island  of  Ahaji, 
where  he  dwelt  for  ever  in  silence  and  concealment." 

Ama<terasu  and  Susa-no-o 

Susa-no-o,or  "The  Impetuous  Male,"  was  the  brother 
of  Ama-terasu,  the  Sun  Goddess.  Now  Susa-no-o  was  a 
very  undesirable  deity  indeed, and  he  figured  in  the  Realm 
of  the  Japanese  Gods  as  a  decidedly  disturbing  element. 
His  character  has  been  clearly  drawn  in  the  Nihongi)  more 
clearly  perhaps  than  that  of  any  other  deity  mentioned  in 
these  ancient  records.  Susa-no-o  had  a  very  bad  temper, 
which  often  resulted  in  many  cruel  and  ungenerous  acts. 
Moreover,  in  spite  of  his  long  beard,  he  had  a  habit  of 
continually  weeping  and  wailing.  Where  a  child  in  a 
tantrum  would  crush  a  toy  to  pieces,  the  Impetuous  Male,- 
when  in  a  towering  rage,  and  without  a  moment's  warning, 
would  wither  the  once  fair  greenery  of  mountains,  and  in 
addition  bring  many  people  to  an  untimely  end. 

His  parents,  Izanagi  and  Izanami,  were  much  troubled 
by  his  doings,  and,  after  consulting  together,  they  decided 
to  banish  their  unruly  son  to  the  Land  of  Yomi. 
Susa,  however,  had  a  word  to  say  in  the  matter.  He 
made  the  following  petition,  saying :  "  I  will  now  obey 
thy  instructions  and  proceed  to  the  Nether-Land 
(Yomi).  Therefore  I  wish  for  a  short  time  to  go 
to  the  Plain  of  High  Heaven  and  meet  with  my 
elder  sister  (Ama-terasu),  after  which  I  will  go  away  for 
ever."  This  apparently  harmless  request  was  granted, 
and  Susa-no-o  ascended  to  Heaven.  His  departure 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

occasioned  a  great  commotion  of  the  sea,  and  the  hills 
and  mountains  groaned  aloud. 

Now  Ama-terasu  heard  these  noises,  and  perceiving 
that  they  denoted  the  near  approach  of  her  wicked 
brother  Susa-no-o,  she  said  to  herself :  "  Is  my  younger 
brother  coming  with  good  intentions  ?  I  think  it  must 
be  his  purpose  to  rob  me  of  my  kingdom.  By  the 
charge  which  our  parents  gave  to  their  children,  each 
of  us  has  his  own  allotted  limits.  Why,  therefore, 
does  he  reject  the  kingdom  to  which  he  should  proceed, 
and  make  bold  to  come  spying  here  ?  " 

Ama-terasu  then  prepared  for  warfare.  She  tied  her 
hair  into  knots  and  hung  jewels  upon  it,  and  round 
her  wrists  "an  august  string  of  five  hundred  Yasaka 
jewels."  She  presented  a  very  formidable  appearance 
when  in  addition  she  slung  over  her  back  "a  thou- 
sand-arrow quiver  and  a  five-hundred-arrow  quiver,' * 
and  protected  her  arms  with  pads  to  deaden  the 
recoil  of  the  bowstring.  Having  arrayed  herself 
for  deadly  combat,  she  brandished  her  bow,  grasped 
her  sword-hilt,  and  stamped  on  the  ground  till 
she  had  made  a  hole  sufficiently  large  to  serve  as  a 
fortification. 

All  this  elaborate  and  ingenious  preparation  was  in 
vain.  The  Impetuous  Male  adopted  the  manner  of  a 
penitent.  "From  the  beginning,"  he  said,  "my  heart 
has  not  been  black.  But  as,  in  obedience  to  the  stern 
behest  of  our  parents,  I  am  about  to  depart  for  ever 
to  the  Nether-Land,  how  could  I  bear  to  depart 
without  having  seen  face  to  face  thee  my  elder  sister  ? 
It  is  for  this  reason  that  I  have  traversed  on  foot  the 
clouds  and  mists  and  have  come  hither  from  afar.  I 
am  surprised  that  my  elder  sister  should,  on  the 
contrary,  put  on  so  stern  a  countenance." 

Ama-terasu  regarded  these  remarks  with  a  certain 
26 


AMA-TERASU  AND  SUSA-NO-O 

amount  of  suspicion.  Susa-no-o's  filial  piety  and 
Susa-no-o's  cruelty  were  not  easily  to  be  reconciled.  She 
thereupon  resolved  to  test  his  sincerity  by  a  remarkable 
proceeding  we  need  not  describe.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
for  the  time  being  the  test  proved  the  Impetuous  Male's 
purity  of  heart  and  general  sincerity  towards  his  sister. 

But  Susa-no-o's  good  behaviour  was  a  very  short-lived 
affair  indeed.  It  happened  that  Ama-terasu  had  made 
a  number  of  excellent  rice-fields  in  Heaven.  Some  were 
narrow  and  some  were  long,  and  Ama-terasu  was  justly 
proud  of  these  rice-fields.  No  sooner  had  she  sown 
the  seed  in  the  spring  than  Susa-no-o  broke  down  the 
divisions  between  the  plots,  and  in  the  autumn  let 
loose  a  number  of  piebald  colts. 

One  day  when  he  saw  his  sister  in  the  sacred 
Weaving  Hall,  weaving  the  garments  of  the  Gods,  he 
made  a  hole  through  the  roof  and  flung  down  a  flayed 
horse.  Ama-terasu  was  so  frightened  that  she  acci- 
dentally wounded  herself  with  the  shuttle.  Extremely 
angry,  she  determined  to  leave  her  abode  ;  so,  gathering 
her  shining  robes  about  her,  she  crept  down  the  blue 
sky,  entered  a  cave,  fastened  it  securely,  and  there 
dwelt  in  seclusion. 

Now  the  world  was  in  darkness,  and  the  alternation 
of  night  and  day  was  unknown.  When  this  dreadful 
catastrophe  had  taken  place  the  Eighty  Myriads  of 
Gods  assembled  together  on  the  bank  of  the  River  of 
Heaven  and  discussed  how  they  might  best  persuade 
Ama-terasu  to  grace  Heaven  once  more  with  her 
shining  glory.  No  less  a  God  than  "Thought-com- 
bining,'* after  much  profound  reasoning,  gathered 
together  a  number  of  singing-birds  from  the  Eternal 
Land.  After  sundry  divinations  with  a  deer's  leg-bone, 
over  a  fire  of  cherry-bark,  the  Gods  made  a  number  of 
tools,  bellows,  and  forges.  Stars  were  welded  together 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

to  form  a  mirror,  and  jewellery  and  musical  instruments 
were  eventually  fashioned. 

When  all  these  things  had  been  duly  accomplished 
the  Eighty  Myriads  of  Gods  came  down  to  the  rock- 
cavern  where  the  Sun  Goddess  lay  concealed,  and  gave 
an  elaborate  entertainment.  On  the  upper  branches  of 
the  True  Sakaki  Tree  they  hung  the  precious  jewels, 
and  on  the  middle  branches  the  mirror.  From  every 
side  there  was  a  great  singing  of  birds,  which  was 
only  the  prelude  to  what  followed.  Now  Uzume 
("Heavenly-alarming-female")  took  in  her  hand  a 
spear  wreathed  with  Eulalia  grass,  and  made  a  head- 
dress of  the  True  Sakaki  Tree.  Then  she  placed  a 
tub  upside  down,  and  proceeded  to  dance  in  a  very 
immodest  manner,  till  the  Eighty  Myriad  Gods  began 
to  roar  with  laughter. 

Such  extraordinary  proceedings  naturally  awakened 
the  curiosity  of  Ama-terasu,  and  she  peeped  forth. 
Once  more  the  world  became  golden  with  her  presence. 
Once  more  she  dwelt  in  the  Plain  of  High  Heaven, 
and  Susa-no-o  was  duly  chastised  and  banished  to  the 
Yomi  Land. 


O'O  and  the  Serpent 
With  the  usual  inconsistency  of  myths  and  legends, 
we  are  not  surprised  to  find  that  all  reference  to  Susa 
dwelling  in  the  Land  of  Yomi  is  entirely  omitted. 
When  we  next  see  him  it  is  apart  from  his  usual  mis- 
chievous disposition.  Indeed,  we  find  him  in  a  rble 
worthy  of  one  of  the  Knights  of  the  Round  Table. 
Whether  the  sudden  display  of  knight-errantry  was  a 
cunning  move  on  his  part  for  some  ulterior  motive,  or 
whether  his  sister's  sudden  withdrawal  from  Heaven 
had  made  him  permanently  reform  his  ways,  we  are 
left  in  entire  ignorance. 
28 


Uzume  awakens  the  curiosity  of  Ama-terasu. 


28 


SUSA'NOO  AND  THE  SERPENT 

Susa-no-o3  having  descended  from  Heaven,  arrived  at 
the  river  Hi,  in  the  province  of  Idzumo.  Here  he  was 
disturbed  by  a  sound  of  weeping.  It  was  so  unusual 
to  hear  any  other  than  himself  weep  that  he  went  in 
search  of  the  cause  of  the  sorrow.  He  discovered  an 
old  man  and  an  old  woman.  Between  them  was  a  young 
girl,  whom  they  fondly  caressed  and  gazed  at  with  pitiful 
eyes,  as  if  they  were  reluctantly  bidding  her  a  last  fare- 
well. When  Susa-no-o  asked  the  old  couple  who  they 
were  and  why  they  lamented,  the  old  man  replied :  "  I 
am  an  Earthly  Deity,  and  my  name  is  Ashi-nadzuchi 
("  Foot-stroke-elder ").  My  wife's  name  is  Te- 
nadzuchi  ("  Hand-stroke-elder  ").  This  girl  is  our 
daughter,  and  her  name  ,is  Kushi-nada-hime  ("  Won- 
drous-Inada-Princess  ").  The  reason  of  our  weeping 
is  that  formerly  we  had  eight  children,  daughters  ; 
but  they  have  been  devoured  year  by  year  by  an  eight- 
forked  serpent,  and  now  the  time  approaches  for  this 
girl  to  be  devoured.  There  is  no  means  of  escape  for 
her,  and  therefore  do  we  grieve  exceedingly." 

The  Impetuous  Male  listened  to  this  painful  recital 
with  profound  attention,  and,  perceiving  that  the  maiden 
was  extremely  beautiful,  he  offered  to  slay  the  eight- 
forked  serpent  if  her  parents  would  give  her  to  him 
in  marriage  as  a  fitting  reward  for  his  services.  This 
request  was  readily  granted. 

Susa-no-o  now  changed  Kushi-nada-hime  into  a  many- 
toothed  comb  and  stuck  it  in  his  hair.  Then  he  bade 
the  old  couple  brew  a  quantity  of  sake.  When  the  sake 
was  ready,  he  poured  it  into  eight  tubs,  and  awaited 
the  coming  of  the  dreadful  monster. 

Eventually  the  serpent  came.  It  had  eight  heads, 
and  the  eyes  were  red,  "  like  winter-cherry."  More- 
over it  had  eight  tails,  and  firs  and  cypress-trees  grew 
on  its  back.  It  was  in  length  the  space  of  eight  hills 

29 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

and  eight  valleys.  Its  lumbering  progress  was  neces- 
sarily slow,  but  finding  the  sake,  each  head  eagerly 
drank  the  tempting  beverage  till  the  serpent  became  ex- 
tremely drunk,  and  fell  asleep.  Then  Susa-no-o,  having 
little  to  fear,  drew  his  ten-span  sword  and  chopped  the 
great  monster  into  little  pieces.  When  he  struck  one 
of  the  tails  his  weapon  became  notched,  and  bending 
down  he  discovered  a  sword  called  the  Murakumo-no- 
Tsurugi.  Perceiving  it  to  be  a  divine  sword,  he  gave 
it  to  the  Gods  of  Heaven. 

Having  successfully  accomplished  his  task,  Susa-no-o 
converted  the  many-toothed  comb  into  Kushi-nada- 
hime  again,  and  at  length  came  to  Suga,  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Idzumo,  in  order  that  he  might  celebrate  his 
marriage.  Here  he  composed  the  following  verse  : 

"  Many  clouds  arise, 
On  all  sides  a  manifold  fence, 
To  receive  within  it  the  spouses, 
They  form  a  manifold  fence — 
Ah  !  that  manifold  fence  !  " 

Nifiongi,  trans,  by  W.  G.  ASTON. 

The  Divine  Messengers 

Now  at  that  time  the  Gods  assembled  in  the  High 
Plain  of  Heaven  were  aware  of  continual  disturbances 
in  the  Central  Land  of  Reed-Plains  (Idzumo).  We 
are  told  that  "  Plains,  the  rocks,  tree-stems,  and  herb- 
age have  still  the  power  of  speech.  At  night  they 
make  a  clamour  like  that  of  flames  of  fire  ;  in  the 
day-time  they  swarm  up  like  flies  in  the  fifth  month." 
In  addition  certain  deities  made  themselves  objection- 
able. The  Gods  determined  to  put  an  end  to  these 
disturbances,  and  after  a  consultation  Taka-mi-musubi 
decided  to  send  his  grandchild  Ninigi  to  govern  the 
Central  Land  of  Reed-Plains,  to  wipe  out  insurrection, 
and  to  bring  peace  and  prosperity  to  the  country.  It 
30 


Susa-no-o  and  Kushi-nada-hime. 


3° 


THE  DIVINE  MESSENGERS 

was  deemed  necessary  to  send  messengers  to  prepare 
the  way  in  advance.  The  first  envoy  was  Ama-no-ho  ; 
but  as  he  spent  three  years  in  the  country  without 
reporting  to  the  Gods,  his  son  was  sent  in  his  place. 
He  adopted  the  same  course  as  his  father,  and  defied 
the  orders  of  the  Heavenly  Ones.  The  third  messenger 
was  Ame-waka  ("  Heaven-young-Prince  ").  He,  too, 
was  disloyal,  in  spite  of  his  noble  weapons,  and  instead 
of  going  about  his  duties  he  fell  in  love  and  took  to  wife 
Shita-teru-hime  ("  Lower-shine-Princess  "). 

Now  the  assembled  Gods  grew  angry  at  the  long 
delay,  and  sent  a  pheasant  down  to  ascertain  what  was 
going  on  in  Idzumo.  The  pheasant  perched  on  the 
top  of  a  cassia-tree  before  Ame-waka's  gate.  When 
Ame-waka  saw  the  bird  he  immediately  shot  it.  The 
arrow  went  through  the  bird,  rose  into  the  Place  of 
Gods,  and  was  hurled  back  again,  so  that  it  killed  the 
disloyal  and  idle  Ame-waka. 

The  weeping  of  Lower-shine-Princess  reached 
Heaven,  for  she  loved  her  lord  and  failed  to  recognise 
in  his  sudden  death  the  just  vengeance  of  the  Gods. 
She  wept  so  loud  and  so  pitifully  that  the  Heavenly 
Ones  heard  her.  A  swift  wind  descended,  and  the 
body  of  Ame-waka  floated  up  into  the  High  Plain  of 
Heaven.  A  mortuary  house  was  made,  in  which  the 
deceased  was  laid.  Mr.  Frank  Kinder  writes  :  "  For 
eight  days  and  eight  nights  there  was  wailing  and 
lamentation.  The  wild  goose  of  the  river,  the  heron, 
the  kingfisher,  the  sparrow,  and  the  pheasant  mourned 
with  a  great  mourning." 

Now  it  happened  that  a  friend  of  Ame-waka,  Aji-shi- 
ki  by  name,  heard  the  sad  dirges  proceeding  from 
Heaven.  He  therefore  offered  his  condolence.  He 
so  resembled  the  deceased  that  when  Ame-waka's 
parents,  relations,  wife,  and  children  saw  him,  they 

3' 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 
exclaimed:    "Our  lord  is  still  alive!"     This  greatly 
angered   Aji-shi-ki,    and    he  drew  his  sword  and  cut 
down  the  mortuary  house,  so  that  it  fell  to  the  Earth 
and  became  the  mountain  of  Moyama. 

We  are  told  that  the  glory  of  Aji-shi-ki  was  so 
effulgent  that  it  illuminated  the  space  of  two  hills  and 
two  valleys.  Those  assembled  for  the  mourning  cele- 
brations uttered  the  following  song  : 

"  Like  the  string  of  jewels 
Worn  on  the  neck 
Of  the  Weaving-maiden, 
That  dwells  in  Heaven — 
Oh  !   the  lustre  of  the  jewels 
Flung  across  two  valleys 
From  Aji-suki-taka-hiko-ne  ! 

"  To  the  side-pool — 
The  side-pool 
Of  the  rocky  stream 
Whose  narrows  are  crossed 
By  the  country  wenches 
Afar  from  Heaven, 
Come  hither,  come  hither  ! 
(The  women  are  fair) 
And  spread  across  thy  net 
In  the  side-pool 
Of  the  rocky  stream." 

Nihongi,  trans,  by  W.  G.  ASTON. 

Two  more  Gods  were  sent  to  the  Central  Land  of 
Reed-Plains,  and  these  Gods  were  successful  in  their 
mission.  They  returned  to  Heaven  with  a  favourable 
report,  saying  that  all  was  now  ready  for  the  coming  of 
the  August  Grandchild. 

The  Coming  of  the  August  Grandchild 

Ama-terasu  presented  her  grandson  Ninigi,  or  Prince 
Rice-Ear-Ruddy-Plenty,  with  many  gifts.  She  gave 
him  precious  stones  from  the  mountain-steps  of  Heaven, 
32 


COMING   OF  THE  AUGUST  GRANDCHILD 

white  crystal  balls,  and,  most  valuable  gift  of  all,  the 
divine  sword  that  Susa-no-o  had  discovered  in  the 
serpent.  She  also  gave  him  the  star-mirror  into  which 
she  had  gazed  when  peeping  out  of  her  cave.  Several 
deities  accompanied  Ninigi,  including  that  lively  maiden 
of  mirth  and  dance  Uzume,  whose  dancing,  it  will  be 
remembered,  so  amused  the  Gods. 

Ninigi  and  his  companions  had  hardly  broken  through 
the  clouds  and  arrived  at  the  eight-forked  road  of 
Heaven,  when  they  discovered,  much  to  their  alarm,  a 
gigantic  creature  with  large  and  brightly  shining  eyes. 
So  formidable  was  his  aspect  that  Ninigi  and  all  his 
companions,  except  the  merry  and  bewitching  Uzume, 
started  to  turn  back  with  intent  to  abandon  their 
mission.  But  Uzume  went  up  to  the  giant  and  de- 
manded who  it  was  that  dared  to  impede  their  progress. 
The  giant  replied  :  "  I  am  the  Deity  of  the  Field-paths. 
I  come  to  pay  my  homage  to  Ninigi,  and  beg  to  have 
the  honour  to  be  his  guide.  Return  to  your  master, 
O  fair  Uzume,  and  give  him  this  message." 

So  Uzume  returned  and  gave  her  message  to  the 
Gods,  who  had  so  ignominiously  retreated.  When 
they  heard  the  good  news  they  greatly  rejoiced,  burst 
once  more  through  the  clouds,  rested  on  the  Floating 
Bridge  of  Heaven,  and  finally  reached  the  summit  of 
Takachihi. 

The  August  Grandchild,  with  the  Deity  of  the  Field- 
paths  for  guide,  travelled  from  end  to  end  of  the 
kingdom  over  which  he  was  to  rule.  When  he  had 
reached  a  particularly  charming  spot,  he  built  a  palace. 

Ninigi  was  so  pleased  with  the  service  the  Deity 
of  the  Field-paths  had  rendered  him  that  he  gave  that 
giant  the  merry  Uzume  to  wife. 

Ninigi,  after  having  romantically  rewarded  his  faith- 
ful guide,  began  to  feel  the  stirring,  of  love  himself, 

c  33 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

when  one  day,  while  walking  along  the  shore,  he  saw 
an  extremely  lovely  maiden.  "Who  are  you,  most 
beautiful  lady  ? "  inquired  Ninigi.  She  replied  :  "  I 
am  the  daughter  or  the  Great-Mountain-Possessor. 
My  name  is  Ko-no-Hana,  the  Princess  who  makes  the 
Flowers  of  the  Trees  to  Blossom." 

Ninigi  fell  in  love  with  Ko-no-Hana.  He  went 
with  all  haste  to  her  father,  Oho-yama,  and  begged 
that  he  would  favour  him  with  his  daughter's  hand. 

Oho-yama  had  an  elder  daughter,  Iha-naga,  Princess 
Long-as-the-Rocks.  As  her  name  implies,  she  was  not 
at  all  beautiful ;  but  her  father  desired  that  Ninigi's 
children  should  have  life  as  eternal  as  the  life  of  rocks. 
He  therefore  presented  both  his  daughters  to  Ninigi, 
expressing  the  hope  that  the  suitor's  choice  would  fall 
upon  Iha-naga.  Just  as  Cinderella,  and  not  her  ugly 
sisters,  is  dear  to  children  of  our  own  country,  so  did 
Ninigi  remain  true  to  his  choice,  and  would  not  even 
look  upon  Iha-naga.  This  neglect  made  Princess  Long- 
as-the-Rocks  extremely  angry.  She  cried  out,  with  more 
vehemence  than  modesty  :  "  Had  you  chosen  me,  you 
and  your  children  would  have  lived  long  in  the  land. 
Now  that  you  have  chosen  my  sister,  you  and  yours 
will  perish  as  quickly  as  the  blossom  of  trees,  as  quickly 
as  the  bloom  on  my  sister's  cheek." 

However,  Ninigi  and  Ko-no-Hana  lived  happily 
together  for  some  time  ;  but  one  day  jealousy  came  to 
Ninigi  and  robbed  him  of  his  peace  of  mind.  He  had 
no  cause  to  be  jealous,  and  Ko-no-Hana  much  resented 
his  treatment.  She  retired  to  a  little  wooden  hut,  and 
set  it  on  fire.  From  the  flames  came  three  baby  boys. 
We  need  only  concern  ourselves  with  two  of  them — 
Hoderi  ("Fire-shine")  and  Hoori  ("Fire-fade"). 
Hoori,  as  we  shall  see  later  on,  was  the  grandfather  of 
the  first  Mikado  of  Japan. 
34 


Hoori  and  the  Sea  God's  Daughter. 


34 


IN  THE  PALACE  OF  THE  SEA  GOD 

In  the  Palace  of  the  Sea  God 

Hoderi  was  a  great  fisherman,  while  his  younger 
brother,  Hoori,  was  an  accomplished  hunter.  One  day 
they  exclaimed  :  "  Let  us  for  a  trial  exchange  gifts." 
This  they  did,  but  the  elder  brother,  who  could  catch 
fish  to  some  purpose,  came  home  without  any  spoil 
when  he  went  a-hunting.  He  therefore  returned  the 
bow  and  arrows,  and  asked  his  younger  brother  for  the 
fish-hook.  Now  it  so  happened  that  Hoori  had  lost 
his  brother's  fish-hook.  The  generous  offer  of  a  new 
hook  to  take  the  place  of  the  old  one  was  scornfully 
refused.  He  also  refused  to  accept  a  heaped-up  tray 
of  fish-hooks.  To  this  offer  the  elder  brother  replied : 
"  These  are  not  my  old  fish-hook  :  though  they  are 
many,  I  will  not  take  them." 

Now  Hoori  was  sore  troubled  by  his  brother's 
harshness,  so  he  went  down  to  the  sea-shore  and  there 
gave  way  to  his  grief.  A  kind  old  man  by  the  name 
of  Shiko-tsutsu  no  Oji  ("  Salt-sea-elder  ")  said  :  "  Why 
dost  thou  grieve  here  ?  "  When  the  sad  tale  was  told, 
the  old  man  replied  :  "  Grieve  no  more.  I  will  arrange 
this  matter  for  thee." 

True  to  his  word,  the  old  man  made  a  basket,  set 
Hoori  in  it,  and  then  sank  it  in  the  sea.  After 
descending  deep  down  in  the  water  Hoori  came  to  a 
pleasant  strand  rich  with  all  manner  of  fantastic  sea- 
weed. Here  he  abandoned  the  basket  and  eventually 
arrived  at  the  Palace  of  the  Sea  God. 

Now  this  palace  was  extremely  imposing.  It  had 
battlements  and  turrets  and  stately  towers.  A  well 
stood  at  the  gate,  and  over  the  well  there  was  a  cassia- 
tree.  Here  Hoori  loitered  in  the  pleasant  shade.  He 
had  not  stood  there  long  before  a  beautiful  woman 
appeared;  As  she  was  about  to  draw  water,  she  raised 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

her  eyes,  saw  the  stranger,  and  immediately  returned, 
with  much  alarm,  to  tell  her  mother  and  father  what  she 
had  seen. 

The  God  of  the  Sea,  when  he  had  heard  the  news, 
"  prepared  an  eightfold  cushion  "  and  led  the  stranger 
in,  asking  his  visitor  why  he  had  been  honoured  by  his 
presence.  When  Hoori  explained  the  sad  loss  of  his 
brother's  fish-hook  the  Sea  God  assembled  all  the  fishes 
of  his  kingdom,  "broad  of  fin  and  narrow  of  fin." 
And  when  the  thousands  upon  thousands  of  fishes  were 
assembled,  the  Sea  God  asked  them  if  they  knew 
anything  about  the  missing  fish-hook.  "We  know 
not,"  answered  the  fishes.  "  Only  the  Red-woman 
(the  tat)  has  had  a  sore  mouth  for  some  time  past,  and 
has  not  come."  She  was  accordingly  summoned,  and 
on  her  mouth  being  opened  the  lost  fish-hook  was 
discovered. 

Hoori  then  took  to  wife  the  Sea  God's  daughter, 
Toyo-tama  ("Rich-jewel "),  and  they  dwelt  together  in 
the  palace  under  the  sea.  For  three  years  all  went 
well,  but  after  a  time  Hoori  hungered  for  a  sight  of  his 
own  country,  and  possibly  he  may  have  remembered 
that  he  had  yet  to  restore  the  fish-hook  to  his  elder 
brother.  These  not  unnatural  feelings  troubled  the 
heart  of  the  loving  Toyo-tama,  and  she  went  to  her 
father  and  told  him  of  her  sorrow.  But  the  Sea  God, 
who  was  always  urbane  and  courteous,  in  no  way 
resented  his  son-in-law's  behaviour.  On  the  contrary 
he  gave  him  the  fish-hook,  saying  :  "  When  thou  givest 
this  fish-hook  to  thy  elder  brother,  before  giving  it  to 
him,  call  to  it  secretly,  and  say,  c  A  poor  hook  ! '  He 
also  presented  Hoori  with  the  Jewel  of  the  Flowing 
Tide  and  the  Jewel  of  the  Ebbing  Tide,  saying  :  "  If 
thou  dost  dip  the  Tide-flowing  Jewel,  the  tide  will 
suddenly  flow,  and  therewithal  thou  shalt  drown  thine 
36 


HODERI  AND  HOORI  RECONCILED 

elder  brother.  But  in  case  thy  elder  brother  should 
repent  and  beg  forgiveness,  if,  on  the  contrary,  thou  dip 
the  Tide-ebbing  Jewel,  the  tide  will  spontaneously  ebb, 
and  therewithal  thou  shalt  save  him.  If  thou  harass 
him  in  this  way  thy  elder  brother  will  of  his  own  accord 
render  submission." 

Just  before  Hoori  was  about  to  depart  his  wife  came 
to  him  and  told  him  that  she  was  soon  to  give  him  a 
child.  Said  she :  "  On  a  day  when  the  winds  and 
waves  are  raging  I  will  surely  come  forth  to  the  sea- 
shore. Build  for  me  a  house,  and  await  me  there." 

Hoderi  and  Hoori  Reconciled 

When  Hoori  reached  his  own  home  he  found  his 
elder  brother,  who  admitted  his  offence  and  begged  for 
forgiveness,  which  was  readily  granted. 

Toyo-tama  and  her  younger  sister  bravely  confronted 
the  winds  and  waves,  and  came  to  the  sea-shore.  There 
Hoori  had  built  a  hut  roofed  with  cormorant  feathers, 
and  there  in  due  season  she  gave  birth  to  a  son.  When 
Toyo-tama  had  blessed  her  lord  with  offspring,  she 
turned  into  a  dragon  and  slipped  back  into  the  sea. 
Hoori's  son  married  his  aunt,  and  was  the  father  of 
four  children,  one  of  whom  was  Kamu-Yamato-Iware- 
Biko,  who  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  human  Emperor 
of  Japan,  and  is  now  known  as  Jimmu  TennO. 


37 


CHAPTER  II :  HEROES  AND  WARRIORS 

Yorimasa 

ALONG  time  ago  a  certain  Emperor  became 
seriously  ill.  He  was  unable  to  sleep  at  night 
owing  to  a  most  horrible  and  unaccountable 
noise  he  heard  proceeding  from  the  roof  of  the  palace, 
called  the  Purple  Hall  of  the  North  Star.  A  number 
of  his  courtiers  decided  to  lie  in  wait  for  this  strange 
nocturnal  visitor.  As  soon  as  the  sun  set  they  noticed 
that  a  dark  cloud  crept  from  the  eastern  horizon,  and 
alighted  on  the  roof  of  the  august  palace.  Those  who 
waited  in  the  imperial  bed-chamber  heard  extraordinary 
scratching  sounds,  as  if  what  had  at  first  appeared  to  be 
a  cloud  had  suddenly  changed  into  a  beast  with  gigantic 
and  powerful  claws. 

Night  after  night  this  terrible  visitant  came,  and 
night  after  night  the  Emperor  grew  worse.  He  at  last 
became  so  ill  that  it  was  obvious  to  all  those  in 
attendance  upon  him  that  unless  something  could  be 
done  to  destroy  this  monster  the  Emperor  would 
certainly  die. 

At  last  it  was  decided  that  Yorimasa  was  the  one 
knight  in  the  kingdom  valiant  enough  to  relieve  his 
Majesty  of  these  terrible  haun tings.  Yorimasa  ac- 
cordingly made  elaborate  preparations  for  the  fray. 
He  took  his  best  bow  and  steel-headed  arrows,  donned 
his  armour,  over  which  he  wore  a  hunting-dress,  and  a 
ceremonial  cap  instead  of  his  usual  helmet. 

At  sunset  he  lay  in  concealment  outside  the  palace. 
While  he  thus  waited  thunder  crashed  overhead,  light- 
ning blazed  in  the  sky,  and  the  wind  shrieked  like  a 
pack  of  wild  demons.  But  Yorimasa  was  a  brave  man, 
and  the  fury  of  the  elements  in  no  way  daunted  him. 
When  midnight  came  he  saw  a  black  cloud  rush  through 
38 


Yorimasa  slays  the  Vampire. 


YOSHITSUNE  AND  BENKEI 

the  sky  and  rest  upon  the  roof  of  the  palace.  At  the 
north-east  corner  it  stopped.  Once  more  the  light- 
ning flashed  in  the  sky,  and  this  time  he  saw  the 
gleaming  eyes  of  a  large  animal.  Noting  the  exact 
position  of  this  strange  monster,  he  pulled  at  his  bow 
till  it  became  as  round  as  the  full  moon.  In  another 
moment  his  steel-headed  arrow  hit  its  mark.  There 
was  an  awful  roar  of  anger,  and  then  a  heavy  thud  as 
the  huge  monster  rolled  from  the  palace  roof  to  the 
ground. 

Yorimasa  and  his  retainer  ran  forward  and  despatched 
the  fearful  creature  they  saw  before  them.  This  evil 
monster  of  the  night  was  as  large  as  a  horse.  It  had 
the  head  of  an  ape,  and  the  body  and  claws  were  like 
those  of  a  tiger,  with  a  serpent's  tail,  wings  of  a  bird, 
and  the  scales  of  a  dragon. 

It  was  no  wonder  that  the  Emperor  gave  orders  that 
the  skin  of  this  monster  should  be  kept  for  all  time  as 
a  curiosity  in  the  Imperial  treasure-house.  From  the 
very  moment  the  creature  died  the  Emperor's  health 
rapidly  improved,  and  Yorimasa  was  rewarded  for  his 
services  by/being  presented  with  a  sword  called  Shishi- 
wo,  which  means  "the  King  of  Lions."  He  was  also 
promoted  at  Court,  and  finally  married  the  Lady 
Ayame,  the  most  beautiful  of  ladies-in-waiting  at  the 
Imperial  Court. 

Yoshitsune  and  Benkei 

We  may  compare  Yoshitsune  with  the  Black  Prince  or 
Henry  V.,  and  Benkei  with  "  Little  John,  Will  Scarlet, 
and  Friar  Tuck  rolled  in  one."  Yoshitsune  would 
have  seemed  a  very  remarkable  hero  had  not  his  faith- 
ful henchman,  Benkei,  also  figured  in  Japanese  history 
and  legend.  As  it  is  we  are  forced  to  admit  that 
Benkei  was  far  and  away  the  greater  man.  He  not 

39 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OFOAPAN 

only  towered  in  stature  above  his  companions,  but  he 
rose  above  his  brethren  in  courage,  wit,  resource,  and  a 
wonderful  tenderness.  Here  was  a  rrian  who  could 
slay  a  hundred  men  with  absolute  ease,  ancf*  with  the 
same  quiet  assurance  expound  the  Buddhist  Scriptures. 
He  could  weep  over  Yoshitsune  when,  by  way  of 
strategy,  he  found  it  necessary  to  severely  'beat  him, 
and  with  infinite  gentleness  render  assistance  when  his 
lord's  wife  gave  birth  to  a  son.  There  wasyet  another 
side  to  Benkei's  versatile  character — his  love  of  a  practical 
joke.  The  bell  incident,  referred  to  elsewhere,  is  a 
case  in  point,  and  his  enormous  feast  at  the  expense  of 
a  number  of  priests  another ;  but  if  he  had  his  joke  he 
never  failed  to  pay  for  the  laugh  to  the  full.  Benkei 
remarked  on  one  occasion  :  "  When  there  is  an  un- 
lucky lot  to  draw  my  lord  sees  to  it  that  I  am  the  one 
to  get  it."  This  was  certainly  true.  Benkei  always 
made  a  point  of  doing  the  dirty  work,  and  when  his 
master  asked  him  to  do  anything  Benkei's  only  com- 
plaint was  that  the  task  was  not  sufficiently  difficult, 
though  as  a  matter  of  fact  it  was  often  so  dangerous 
that  it  would  have  frightened  a  dozen  less  gifted 
heroes. 

We  are  told  that  when  Benkei  was  born  he  had  long 
hair,  a  complete  set  of  teeth,  and,  moreover,  that  he 
could  run  as  swiftly  as  the  wind.  Benkei  was  too  big 
for  a  modest  Japanese  home.  When  he  struck  Jin- 
saku's  anvil  that  useful  object  sank  deep  into  the  earth, 
and  for  firewood  he  would  bring  a  great  pine-tree. 
When  Benkei  was  seventeen  years  old  he  became  a 
priest  in  a  Buddhist  temple ;  but  that  did  not  prevent 
him  from  having  a  thrilling  escapade  with  a  beautiful 
young  girl  called  Tamamushi.  We  soon  find  our  hero 
breaking  away  from  love  and  priestcraft,  and  entirely 
devoting  his  attention  to  the  exciting  adventures  of  a 
40 


YOSHITSUNE  AND  THE  TAIRA 

lawless  warrior.  Here,  for  the  moment,  we  must  leave 
him,  and  give  the  story  of  Yoshitsune,  and  how  he  had 
the  good  fortune  to  meet  and  retain  the  service  and 
friendship  of  Benkei  till  his  dying  day. 

Yoshitsune  and  the  Taira 

Yoshitsune's  father,  Yoshitomo,  had  been  killed  in 
a  great  battle  with  the  Taira.  At  that  time  the  Taira 
clan  was  all-powerful,  and  its  cruel  leader,  Kiyomori, 
did  all  he  could  to  destroy  Yoshitomo's  children.  But 
the  mother  of  these  children,  Tokiwa,  fled  into  hiding, 
taking  her  little  ones  with  her.  With  characteristic 
Japanese  fortitude,  she  finally  consented  to  become  the 
wife  of  the  hated  Kiyomori.  She  did  so  because  it  was 
the  only  way  to  save  the  lives  of  her  children.  She 
was  allowed  to  keep  Yoshitsune  with  her,  and  she 
daily  whispered  to  him  :  "  Remember  thy  father, 
Minamoto  Yoshitomo  !  Grow  strong  and  avenge  his 
death,  for  he  died  at  the  hands  of  the  Taira  !  " 

When  Yoshitsune  was  seven  years  of  age  he  was  sent 
to  a  monastery  to  be  brought  up  as  a  monk.  Though 
diligent  in  his  studies,  the  young  boy  ever  treasured  in 
his  heart  the  dauntless  words  of  his  brave,  self-sacrificing 
mother.  They  stirred  and  quickened  him  to  action.  He 
used  to  go  to  a  certain  valley,  where  he  would  flourish 
his  little  wooden  sword,  and,  singing  fragments  of  war- 
songs,  hit  out  at  rocks  and  stones,  desiring  that  he  might 
one  day  become  a  great  warrior,  and  right  the  wrongs 
so  heavily  heaped  upon  his  family  by  the  Taira  clan. 

One  night,  while  thus  engaged,  he  was  startled  by  a 
great  thunderstorm,  and  saw  before  him  a  mighty  giant 
with  a  long  red  nose  and  enormous  glaring  eyes,  bird- 
like  claws,  and  feathered  wings.  Bravely  standing  his 
ground,  Yoshitsune  inquired  who  this  giant  might  be, 
and  was  informed  that  he  was  King  of  the  Tengu — that 

4* 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

is,  King  of  the  elves  of  the  mountains,  sprightly  little 
beings  who  were  frequently  engaged  in  all  manner  of 
fantastic  tricks. 

The  King  of  the  Tengu  was  very  kindly  disposed 
towards  Yoshitsune.  He  explained  that  he  admired 
his  perseverance,  and  told  him  that  he  had  appeared 
upon  the  scene  with  the  meritorious  intention  of  teaching 
him  all  that  was  to  be  learnt  in  the  art  of  swordsmanship. 
The  lessons  progressed  in  a  most  satisfactory  manner, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  Yoshitsune  could  vanquish 
as  many  as  twenty  small  tengu,  and  this  extreme  agility 
stood  Yoshitsune  in  very  good  stead,  as  we  shall  see 
later  on  in  the  story. 

Now  when  Yoshitsune  was  fifteen  years  old  he  heard 
that  there  lived  on  Mount  Hiei  a  very  wild  bonze 
(priest)  by  the  name  of  Benkei.  Benkei  had  for  some 
time  waylaid  knights  who  happened  to  cross  the  Gojo 
Bridge  of  Kyoto.  His  idea  was  to  obtain  a  thousand 
swords,  and  he  was  so  brave,  although  such  a  rascal, 
that  he  had  won  from  knights  no  less  than  nine  hundred 
and  ninety-nine  swords  by  his  lawless  behaviour.  When 
the  news  of  these  doings  reached  the  ears  of  Yoshitsune 
he  determined  to  put  the  teaching  of  the  King  of  the 
Tengu  to  good  use  and  slay  this  Benkei,  and  so  put 
an  end  to  one  who  had  become  a  terror  in  the  land. 

One  evening  Yoshitsune  started  out,  and,  in  order  to 
establish  the  manner  and  bearing  of  absolute  indiffer- 
ence, he  played  upon  his  flute  till  he  came  to  the  Gojo 
Bridge.  Presently  he  saw  coming  towards  him  a 
gigantic  man  clad  in  black  armour,  who  was  none  other 
than  Benkei.  When  Benkei  saw  the  youth  he  considered 
it  to  be  beneath  his  dignity  to  attack  what  appeared  to 
him  to  be  a  mere  weakling,  a  dreamer  who  could  play 
excellently,  and  no  doubt  write  a  pretty  poem  about 
the  moon,  which  was  then  shining  in  the  sky,  but  one 
4* 


Yoshitsune  and  Benkei  attacked  by  a  ghostly  company 

of  the  Taira  Clan.  42 


YOSHITSUNE  AND  BENKEI  FIGHT 

who  was  in  no  way  a  warrior.  This  affront  naturally 
angered  Yoshitsune,  and  he  suddenly  kicked  Benkei's 
halberd  out  of  his  hand. 

Yoshitsune  and  Benkei  Fight 

Benkei  gave  a  growl  of  rage,  and  cut  about  indis- 
criminately with  his  weapon.  But  the  sprightliness 
of  the  tengu  teaching  favoured  Yoshitsune.  He  j  umped 
from  side  to  side,  from  the  front  to  the  rear,  and 
from  the  rear  to  the  front  again,  mocking  the  giant 
with  many  a  jest'  and  many  a  peal  of  ringing  laughter. 
Round  and  round  went  Benkei's  weapon,  always  strik- 
ing either  the  air  or  the  ground,  and  ever  missing  its 
adversary. 

At  last  Benkei  grew  weary,  and  once  again  Yoshitsune 
knocked  the  halberd  out  of  the  giant's  hand.  In  trying 
to  regain  his  weapon  Yoshitsune  tripped  him  up,  so 
that  he  stumbled  upon  his  hands  and  knees,  and  the 
hero,  with  a  cry  of  triumph,  mounted  upon  the  now 
four-legged  Benkei.  The  giant  was  utterly  amazed  at 
his  defeat,  and  when  he  was  told  that  the  victor  was 
none  other  than  the  son  of  Lord  Yoshitomo  he  not 
only  took  his  defeat  in  a  manly  fashion,  but  begged 
that  he  might  henceforth  become  a  retainer  of  the 
young  conqueror. 

From  this  time  we  find  the  names  of  Yoshitsune  and 
Benkei  linked  together,  and  in  all  the  stories  of  warriors, 
whether  in  Japan  or  elsewhere,  never  was  there  a  more 
valiant  and  harmonious  union  of  strength  and  friend- 
ship. We  hear  of  them  winning  numerous  victories 
over  the  Taira,  finally  driving  them  to  the  sea,  where 
they  perished  at  Dan-no-ura. 

We  get  one  more  glimpse  of  Dan-no-ura  from  a 
legendary  point  of  view.  Yoshitsune  and  his  faithful 
henchman  arranged  to  cross  in  a  ship  from  the  province 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

of  Settsu  to  Saikoku.  When  they  reached  Dan-no-ura 
a  great  storm  arose.  Mysterious  noises  came  from  the 
towering  waves,  a  far-away  echo  of  the  din  of  battle,  of 
the  rushing  of  ships  and  the  whirling  of  arrows,  of  the 
footfall  of  a  thousand  men.  Louder  and  louder  the 
noise  grew,  and  from  the  lashing  crests  of  the  waves 
there  arose  a  ghostly  company  of  the  Taira  clan.  Their 
armour  was  torn  and  blood-stained,  and  they  thrust 
out  their  vaporous  arms  and  tried  to  stop  the  boat  in 
which  Yoshitsune  and  Benkei  sailed.  It  was  a  ghostly 
reminiscence  of  the  battle  of  Dan-no-ura,  when  the 
Taira  had  suffered  a  terrible  and  permanent  defeat. 
Yoshitsune,  when  he  saw  this  great  phantom  host,  cried 
out  for  revenge  even  upon  the  ghosts  of  the  Taira 
dead  ;  but  Benkei,  always  shrewd  and  circumspect,  bade 
his  master  lay  aside  the  sword,  and  took  out  a  rosary 
and  recited  a  number  of  Buddhist  prayers.  Peace  came 
to  the  great  company  of  ghosts,  the  wailing  ceased,  and 
gradually  they  faded  into  the  sea  which  now  became  calm. 
Legend  tells  us  that  fishermen  still  see  from  time  to 
time  ghostly  armies  come  out  of  the  sea  and  wail  and 
shake  their  long  arms.  They  explain  that  the  crabs 
with  dorsal  markings  are  the  wraiths  of  the  Taira 
warriors.  Later  on  we  shall  introduce  another  legend 
relating  to  these  unfortunate  ghosts,  who  seem  never  to 
tire  of  haunting  the  scene  of  their  defeat. 

The  Goblin  of  Oyeyama 

In  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Ichijo  many  dreadful 
stories  were  current  in  Kyoto  in  regard  to  a  demon 
that  lived  on  Mount  Oye.  This  demon  could  assume 
many  forms.  Sometimes  appearing  as  a  human  being, 
he  would  steal  into  Kyoto,  and  leave  many  a  home 
destitute  of  well-loved  sons  and  daughters.  These 
young  men  and  women  he  took  back  to  his  mountain 
44 


THE  GOBLIN  OF  OYEYAMA 

stronghold,  and,  sad  to  narrate,  after  making  sport  of 
them,  he  and  his  goblin  companions  made  a  great  feast 
and  devoured  these  poor  young  people.  Even  the 
sacred  Court  was  not  exempt  from  these  awful  happen- 
ings, and  one  day  Kimitaka  lost  his  beautiful  daughter. 
She  had  been  snatched  away  by  the  Goblin  King, 
Shutendoji. 

When  this  sad  news  reached  the  ears  of  the  Emperor 
he  called  his  council  together  and  consulted  how  they 
might  slay  this  dreadful  creature.  His  ministers  in- 
formed his  Majesty  that  Raiko  was  a  doughty  knight, 
and  advised  that  he  should  be  sent  with  certain  com- 
panions on  this  perilous  but  worthy  adventure. 

Raiko  accordingly  chose  five  companions  and  told 
them  what  had  been  ordained,  and  how  they  were  to 
set  out  upon  an  adventurous  journey,  and  finally  to 
slay  the  King  of  the  Goblins.  He  explained  that 
subtlety  of  action  was  most  essential  if  they  wished  for 
success  in  their  enterprise,  and  that  it  would  be  well  to 
go  disguised  as  mountain  priests,  and  to  carry  their 
armour  and  weapons  on  their  backs,  carefully  concealed 
in  unsuspicious-looking  knapsacks.  Before  starting 
upon  their  journey  two  of  the  knights  went  to  pray  at 
the  temple  of  Hachiman,  the  God  of  War,  two  at  the 
shrine  of  Kwannon,  the  Goddess  of  Mercy,  and  two  at 
the  temple  of  Gongen. 

When  these  knights  had  prayed  for  a  blessing  upon 
their  undertaking  they  set  out  upon  their  journey,  and 
in  due  time  reached  the  province  of  Tamba,  and  saw 
immediately  in  front  of  them  Mount  Oye.  The 
Goblin  had  certainly  chosen  the  most  formidable  of 
mountains.  Mighty  rocks  and  great  dark  forests 
obstructed  their  path  in  every  direction,  while  almost 
bottomless  chasms  appeared  when  least  expected. 

Just  when  these  brave  knights  were  beginning  to 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

feel  just  a  little  disheartened,  three  old  men  suddenly 
appeared  before  them.  At  first  these  newcomers  were 
regarded  with  suspicion,  but  later  on  with  the  utmost 
friendliness  and  thankfulness.  These  old  men  were 
none  other  than  the  deities  to  whom  the  knights  had 
prayed  before  setting  out  upon  their  journey.  The 
old  men  presented  Raiko  with  a  jar  of  magical  sake 
called  Shimben-Kidoku-Shu  ("a  cordial  for  men,  but 
poison  for  goblins  "),  advising  him  that  he  should  by 
strategy  get  Shutendoji  to  drink  it,  whereupon  he 
would  immediately  become  paralysed  and  prove  an  easy 
victim  for  the  final  despatch.  No  sooner  had  these  old 
men  given  the  magical  sake  and  proffered  their  valuable 
advice  than  a  miraculous  light  shone  round  them,  and 
they  vanished  into  the  clouds. 

Once  again  Raiko  and  his  knights,  much  cheered  by 
what  had  happened,  continued  to  ascend  the  mountain. 
Coming  to  a  stream,  they  noticed  a  beautiful  woman 
washing  a  blood-stained  garment  in  the  running  water. 
She  was  weeping  bitterly,  and  wiped  away  her  tears 
with  the  long  sleeve  of  her  kimono.  Upon  Raiko  asking 
who  she  was,  she  informed  him  that  she  was  a  princess, 
and  one  of  the  miserable  captives  of  the  Goblin  King. 
When  she  was  told  that  it  was  none  other  than  the 
great  Raiko  who  stood  before  her,  and  that  he  and  his 
knights  had  come  to  kill  the  vile  creature  of  that 
mountain,  she  was  overcome  with  joy,  and  finally  led 
the  little  band  to  a  great  palace  of  black  iron,  satisfying 
the  sentinels  by  telling  them  that  her  followers  were 
poor  mountain  priests  who  sought  temporary  shelter. 

After  passing  'through  long  corridors  Raiko  and  his 
knights  found  themselves  in  a  mighty  hall.  At  one 
end  sat  the  awful  Goblin  King.  He  was  of  gigantic 
stature,  with  bright  red  skin  and  a  mass  of  white  hair. 
When  Raiko  meekly  informed  him  who  they  were, 
46 


Raiko  and  the  Enchanted  Maiden. 


RAIKO  SLAYS  THE  GOBLIN 

the  Goblin  King,  concealing  his  mirth,  bade  them  be 
seated  and  join  the  feast  that  was  about  to  be  set  before 
them.  Thereupon  he  clapped  his  red  hands  together, 
and  immediately  many  beautiful  damsels  came  running 
in  with  an  abundance  of  food  and  drink,  and  as  Raiko 
watched  these  women  he  knew  that  they  had  once  lived 
in  happy  homes  in  Kyoto. 

When  the  feast  was  in  full  progress  Raiko  took  out 
the  jar  of  magic  sak^  and  politely  begged  the  Goblin 
King  to  try  it.  The  monster,  without  demur  or 
suspicion,  drank  some  of  the  sakJ,  and  found  it  so 
good  that  he  asked  for  a  second  cup.  All  the  goblins 
partook  of  the  magic  wine,  and  while  they  were 
drinking  Raiko  and  his  companions  danced. 

The  power  of  this  magical  drink  soon  began  to  work. 
The  Goblin  King  became  drowsy,  till  finally  he  and  his 
fellow  goblins  fell  fast  asleep.  Then  Raiko  sprang  to 
his  feet,  and  he  and  his  knights  rapidly  donned  their 
armour  and  prepared  for  war.  Once  more  the  three 
deities  appeared  before  them,  and  said  to  Raiko  :  "  We 
have  tied  the  hands  and  feet  of  the  Demon  fast,  so  you 
have  nothing  to  fear.  While  your  knights  cut  off  his 
limbs  do  you  cut  off  his  head  :  then  kill  the  rest  of  the 
oni  (evil  spirits)  and  your  work  will  be  done."  Then 
these  divine  beings  suddenly  disappeared. 

Raiko  Slays  the  Goblin 

Raiko  and  his  knights,  with  their  swords  drawn, 
cautiously  approached  the  sleeping  Goblin  King.  With 
a  mighty  sweep  Raiko's  weapon  came  crashing  down  on 
the  Goblin's  neck.  No  sooner  was  the  head  severed 
than  it  shot  up  into  the  air,  and  smoke  and  fire  poured 
out  from  the  nostrils,  scorching  the  valiant  Raiko. 
Once  more  he  struck  out  with  his  sword,  and  this  time 
the  horrible  head  fell  to  the  floor,  and  never  moved 

47 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

again.     It  was  not  long  before   these   brave    knights 
despatched  the  Demon's  followers  also. 

.  There  was  a  joyful  exit  from  the  great  iron  palace. 
Raiko's  five  knights  carried  the  monster  head  of  the 
Goblin  King,  and  this  grim  spectacle  was  followed  by  a 
company  of  happy  maidens  released  at  last  from  their 
horrible  confinement,  and  eager  to  walk  once  again  in 
the  streets  of  Kyoto. 

The  Goblin  Spider 

Some  time  after  the  incident  mentioned  in  the 
previous  legend  had  taken  place  the  brave  Raiko 
became  seriously  ill,  and  was  obliged  to  keep  to  his 
room.  At  about  midnight  a  little  boy  always  brought 
him  some  medicine.  This  boy  was  unknown  to  Raiko, 
but  as  he  kept  so  many  servants  it  did  not  at  first 
awaken  suspicion.  Raiko  grew  worse  instead  of  better, 
and  always  worse  immediately  after  he  had  taken  the 
medicine,  so  he  began  to  think  that  some  supernatural 
force  was  the  cause  of  his  illness. 

At  last  Raiko  asked  his  head  servant  if  he  knew  any- 
thing about  the  boy  who  came  to  him  at  midnight. 
Neither  the  head  servant  nor  any  one  else  seemed  to 
know  anything  about  him.  By  this  time  Raiko's  sus- 
picions were  fully  awakened,  and  he  determined  to  go 
carefully  into  the  matter. 

When  the  small  boy  came  again  at  midnight,  instead 
of  taking  the  medicine,  Raiko  threw  the  cup  at  his  head, 
and  drawing  his  sword  attempted  to  kill  him.  A  sharp 
cry  of  pain  rang  through  the  room,  but  as  the  boy  was 
flying  from  the  apartment  he  threw  something  at 
Raiko.  It  spread  outward  into  a  huge  white  sticky 
web,  which  clung  so  tightly  to  Raiko  that  he  could  hardly 
move.  No  sooner  had  he  cut  the  web  through 
with  his  sword  than  another  enveloped  him.  Raiko 
48 


THE  GOBLIN  SPIDER 

then  called  for  assistance,  and  his  chief  retainer  met  the 
miscreant  in  one  of  the  corridors  and  stopped  his 
further  progress  with  extended  sword.  The  Goblin 
threw  a  web  over  him  too.  When  he  at  last  managed 
to  extricate  himself  and  was  able  to  run  into  his  master's 
room,  he  saw  that  Raiko  had  also  been  the  victim  of 
the  Goblin  Spider. 

The  Goblin  Spider  was  eventually  discovered  in  a 
cave  writhing  with  pain,  blood  flowing  from  a  sword- 
cut  on  the  head.  He  was  instantly  killed,  and  with  his 
death  there  passed  away  the  evil  influence  that  had 
caused  Raiko's  serious  illness.  From  that  hour  the 
hero  regained  his  health  and  strength,  and  a  sump- 
tuous banquet  was  prepared  in  honour  of  the  happy 
event. 

Another  Version 

There  is  another  version  of  this  legend,  written  by 
Kenko  Hoshi,  which  differs  so  widely  in  many  of  its 
details  from  the  one  we  have  already  given  that  it 
almost  amounts  to  a  new  story  altogether.  To  dispense 
with  this  version  would  be  to  rob  the  legend  of  its  most 
sinister  aspect,  which  has  not  hitherto  been  accessible 
to  the  general  reader.1 

On  one  occasion  Raiko  left  Kyoto  with  Tsuna,  the 
most  worthy  of  his  retainers.  As  they  were  crossing 
the  plain  of  Rendai  they  saw  a  skull  rise  in  the  air,  and 
fly  before  them  as  if  driven  by  the  wind,  until  it  finally 
disappeared  at  a  place  called  Kagura  ga  Oka. 

Raiko  and  his  retainer  had  no  sooner  noticed  the 
disappearance  of  the  skull  than  they  perceived  before 
them  a  mansion  in  ruins.  Raiko  entered  this  dilapi- 
dated building,  and  saw  an  old  woman  of  strange  aspect. 

1  This  version  appears  in  the  Catalogue  of  Japanese  and  Chinese 
Paintings  In  the  British  Museum,  by  Dr.  William  Anderson. 

D  49 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

"  She  was  dressed  in  white,  and  had  white  hair  ;  she 
opened  her  eyes  with  a  small  stick,  and  the  upper  eye- 
lids fell  back  over  her  head  like  a  hat  ;  then  she  used 
the  rod  to  open  her  mouth,  and  let  her  breast  fall 
forward  upon  her  knees."  Thus  she  addressed  the 
astonished  Raiko  : 

"  I  am  two  hundred  and  ninety  years  old.  I  serve 
nine  masters,  and  the  house  in  which  you  stand  is 
haunted  by  demons." 

Having  listened  to  these  words,  Raiko  walked  into 
the  kitchen,  and,  catching  a  glimpse  of  the  sky,  he  per- 
ceived that  a  great  storm  was  brewing.  As  he  stood 
watching  the  dark  clouds  gather  he  heard  a  sound  of 
ghostly  footsteps,  and  there  crowded  into  the  room  a 
great  company  of  goblins.  Nor  were  these  the  only 
supernatural  creatures  which  Raiko  encountered,  for 
presently  he  saw  a  being  dressed  like  a  nun.  Her  very 
small  body  was  naked  to  the  waist,  her  face  was  two 
feet  in  length,  and  her  arms  "  were  white  as  snow 
and  thin  as  threads."  For  a  moment  this  dreadful 
creature  laughed,  and  then  vanished  like  a  mist. 

Raiko  heard  the  welcome  sound  of  a  cock  crowing, 
and  imagined  that  the  ghostly  visitors  would  trouble 
him  no  more  ;  but  once  again  he  heard  footsteps,  and 
this  time  he  saw  no  hideous  hag,  but  a  lovely  woman, 
"  more  graceful  than  the  willow  branches  as  they  wave 
in  the  breeze."  As  he  gazed  upon  this  lovely  maiden 
his  eyes  became  blinded  for  a  moment  on  account  of 
her  radiant  beauty.  Before  he  could  recover  his  sight 
he  found  himself  enveloped  in  countless  cobwebs. 
He  struck  at  her  with  his  sword,  when  she  disappeared, 
and  he  found  that  he  had  but  cut  through  the  planks  of 
the  floor,  and  broken  the  foundation-stone  beneath. 

At  this  moment  Tsuna  joined  his  master,  and  they 
perceived  that  the  sword  was  covered  with  white 
50 


Raiko  slays  the  Goblin  of  Oyeyama. 


ADVENTURES  OF  PRINCE  YAMATO  TAKE 

blood,  and  that  the  point  had  been  broken  in  the 
conflict. 

After  much  search  Raiko  and  his  retainer  discovered 
a  den  in  which  they  saw  a  monster  with  many  legs  and 
a  head  of  enormous  size  covered  with  downy  hair.  Its 
mighty  eyes  shone  like  the  sun  and  moon,  as  it  groaned 
aloud  :  "  I  am  sick  and  in  pain  !  " 

As  Raiko  and  Tsuna  drew  near  they  recognised  the 
broken  sword-point  projecting  from  the  monster.  The 
heroes  then  dragged  the  creature  out  of  its  den  and  cut 
off  its  head.  Out  of  the  deep  wound  in  the  creature's 
stomach  gushed  nineteen  hundred  and  ninety  skulls, 
and  in  addition  many  spiders  as  large  as  children. 
Raiko  and  his  follower  realised  that  the  monster  before 
them  was  none  other  than  the  Mountain  Spider. 
When  they  cut  open  the  great  carcass  they  discovered, 
within  the  entrails,  the  ghostly  remains  of  many  human 
corpses. 

The  Adventures  of  Prince  Yamato  Take 

King  Keiko  bade  his  youngest  son,  Prince  Yamato, 
go  forth  and  slay  a  number  of  brigands.  Before  his 
departure  the  Prince  prayed  at  the  shrines  of  Ise,  and 
begged  that  Ama-terasu,  the  Sun  Goddess,  would  bless 
his  enterprise.  Prince  Yamato's  aunt  was  high- 
priestess  of  one  of  the  Ise  temples,  and  he  told  her 
about  the  task  his  father  had  entrusted  to  him.  This 
good  lady  was  much  pleased  to  hear  the  news,  and 
presented  her  nephew  with  a  rich  silk  robe,  saying  that 
it  would  bring  him  luck,  and  perhaps  be  of  service  to 
him  later  on. 

When  Prince  Yamato  had  returned  to  the  palace  and 
taken  leave  of  his  father,  he  left  the  court  accompanied 
by  his  wife,  the  Princess  Ototachibana,  and  a  number 
of  staunch  followers,  and  proceeded  to  the  Southern 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Island  of  Kiushiu,  which  was  infested  by  brigands. 
The  country  was  so  rough  and  impassable  that  Prince 
Yamato  saw  at  once  that  he  must  devise  some  cunning 
scheme  by  which  he  might  take  the  enemy  unawares. 

Having  come  to  this  conclusion,  he  bade  the  Princess 
Ototachibana  bring  him  the  rich  silk  robe  his  aunt  had 
given  him.  This  he  put  on  under  the  direction,  no 
doubt,  of  his  wife.  He  let  down  his  hair,  stuck  a  comb 
in  it,  and  adorned  himself  with  jewels.  When  he 
looked  into  a  mirror  he  saw  that  the  disguise  was  per- 
fect, and  that  he  made  quite  a  handsome  woman. 

Thus  gorgeously  apparelled,  he  entered  the  enemy's 
tent,  where  Kumaso  and  Takeru  were  sitting.  It  hap- 
pened that  they  were  discussing  the  King's  son  and  his 
efforts  to  exterminate  their  band.  When  they  chanced 
to  look  up  they  saw  a  fair  woman  coming  towards 
them. 

Kumaso  was  so  delighted  that  he  beckoned  to  the 
disguised  Prince  and  bade  him  serve  wine  as  quickly  as 
possible.  Yamato  was  only  too  delighted  to  do  so. 
He  affected  feminine  shyness.  He  walked  with  very 
minute  steps,  and  glanced  out  of  the  corner  of  his  eyes 
with  all  the  timidity  of  a  bashful  maiden. 

Kumaso  drank  far  more  wine  than  was  good  for 
him.  He  still  went  on  drinking  just  to  have  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  this  lovely  creature  pouring  it  out 
for  him. 

When  Kumaso  became  drunk  Prince  Yamato  flung 
down  the  wine-jar,  whipped  out  his  dagger,  and  stabbed 
him  to  death. 

Takeru,  when  he  saw  what  had  happened  to  his 
brother,  attempted  to  escape,  but  Prince  Yamato  leapt 
upon  him.  Once  more  his  dagger  gleamed  in  the  air, 
and  Takeru  fell  to  the  earth. 

"Stay  your  hand  a  moment,"  gasped  the  dying 
5* 


Prince  Yamato  and  Takeru. 


THE  WOODEN  SWORD 

brigand.  "  I  would  fain  know  who  you  are  and  whence 
you  have  come.  Hitherto  I  thought  that  my  brother 
and  I  were  the  strongest  men  in  the  kingdom.  I  am 
indeed  mistaken." 

"I  am  Yamato,"  said  the  Prince,  "and  son  of  the 
King  who  bade  me  kill  such  rebels  as  you  ! " 

"Permit  me  to  give  you  a  new  name,"  said  the 
brigand  politely.  "From  henceforth  you  shall  be 
called  Yamato  Take,  because  you  are  the  bravest  man 
in  the  land." 

Having  thus  spoken  Takeru  fell  back  dead. 

The  Wooden  Sword 

When  the  Prince  was  on  his  way  to  the  capital  he 
encountered  another  outlaw  named  Idzumo  Takeru. 
Again  resorting  to  strategy,  he  professed  to  be  extremely 
friendly  with  this  fellow.  He  cut  a  sword  of  wood  and 
rammed  it  tightly  into  the  sheath  of  his  own  steel 
weapon.  He  wore  this  whenever  he  expected  to  meet 
Takeru. 

On  one  occasion  Prince  Yamato  invited  Takeru  to 
swim  with  him  in  the  river  Hinokawa.  While  the 
brigand  was  swimming  down-stream  the  Prince  secretly 
landed,  and,  going  to  Takeru's  clothes,  lying  on  the  bank, 
he  managed  to  change  swords,  putting  his  wooden 
one  in  place  of  the  keen  steel  sword  of  Takeru. 

When  Takeru  came  out  of  the  water  and  put  on  his 
clothes  the  Prince  asked  him  to  show  his  skill  with  the 
sword.  "We  will  prove,"  said  he,  "which  is  the 
better  swordsman  of  the  two." 

Nothing  loath,  Takeru  tried  to  unsheath  his  sword. 
It  stuck  fast,  and  as  it  happened  to  be  of  wood  it  was, 
of  course,  useless  in  any  case.  While  the  brigand  was 
thus  struggling  Yamato  cut  off  his  head.  Once  again 
cunning  had  served  him,  and  when  he  had  returned  to 

53 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

the  palace  he  was  feasted,  and  received  many  costly 
gifts  from  the  King  his  father. 

The  "  Grass'Cleaving'Sword  " 

Prince  Yamato  did  not  long  remain  idle  in  the  palace, 
for  his  father  commanded  him  to  go  forth  and  quell  an 
Ainu  rising  in  the  eastern  provinces. 

When  the  Prince  was  ready  to  depart  the  King  gave 
him  a  spear  made  from  a  holly-tree  called  the  "  Eight- 
Arms-Length-Spear."  With  this  precious  gift  Prince 
Yamato  visited  the  temples  of  Ise.  His  aunt,  the 
high-priestess,  again  greeted  him.  She  listened  with 
interest  to  all  her  nephew  told  her,  and  was  especially 
delighted  to  know  how  well  the  robe  she  had  given 
him  had  served  in  his  adventures. 

When  she  had  listened  to  his  story  she  went  into  the 
temple  and  brought  forth  a  sword  and  a  bag  containing 
flints.  These  she  gave  to  Yamato  as  a  parting  gift. 

The  sword  was  the  sword  of  Murakumo,  belonging 
to  the  insignia  of  the  Imperial  House  of  Japan.  The 
Prince  could  not  have  received  a  more  auspicious  gift. 
This  sword,  it  will  be  remembered,  once  belonged  to 
the  Gods,  and  was  discovered  by  Susa-no-o. 

After  a  long  march  Prince  Yamato  and  his  men 
found  themselves  in  the  province  of  Suruga.  The 
governor  hospitably  received  him,  and  by  way  of 
entertainment  organised  a  deer-hunt.  Our  hero  for 
once  in  a  way  was  utterly  deceived,  and  joined  the  hunt 
without  the  least  misgiving. 

The  Prince  was  taken  to  a  great  and  wild  plain 
covered  with  high  grass.  While  he  was  engaged  in 
hunting  down  the  deer  he  suddenly  became  aware  of 
fire.  In  another  moment  he  saw  flames  and  clouds  of 
smoke  shooting  up  in  every  direction.  He  was  sur- 
rounded by  fire,  from  which  there  was,  apparently,  no 
54 


THE  SACRIFICE  OF  OTOTACHIBANA 

escape.     Too  late  the  guileless  warrior  realised  that  he 
had  fallen  into  a  trap,  and  a  very  warm  trap  too  ! 

Our  hero  opened  the  bag  his  aunt  had  given  him, 
set  fire  to  the  grass  near  him,  and  with  the  sword  of 
Murakumo  he  cut  down  the  tall  green  blades  on  either 
side  as  quickly  as  possible.  No  sooner  had  he  done  so 
than  the  wind  suddenly  changed  and  blew  the  flames 
away  from  him,  so  that  eventually  the  Prince  made 
good  his  escape  without  the  slightest  burn  of  any  kind. 
And  thus  it  was  that  the  sword  of  Murakumo  came 
to  be  known  as  the  "Grass-Cleaving-Sword." 

The  Sacrifice  of  Ototachibana 

In  all  these  adventures  the  Prince  had  been  followed 
by  his  faithful  wife,  the  Princess  Ototachibana.  Sad  to 
say,  our  hero,  so  praiseworthy  in  battle,  was  not  nearly 
so  estimable  in  his  love.  He  looked  down  on  his 
wife  and  treated  her  with  indifference.  She,  poor  loyal 
soul,  had  lost  her  beauty  in  serving  her  lord.  Her 
skin  was  burnt  with  the  sun,  and  her  garments  were 
soiled  and  torn.  Yet  she  never  complained,  and  though 
her  face  became  sad  she  made  a  brave  effort  to  maintain 
her  usual  sweetness  of  manner. 

Now  Prince  Yamato  happened  to  meet  the  fascinat- 
ing Princess  Miyadzu.  Her  robes  were  charming,  her 
skin  delicate  as  cherry-blossom.  It  was  not  long  before 
he  fell  desperately  in  love  with  her.  When  the  time 
came  for  him  to  depart  he  swore  that  he  would  return 
again  and  make  the  beautiful  Princess  Miyadzu  his  wife. 
He  had  scarcely  made  this  promise  when  he  looked  up 
and  saw  Ototachibana,  and  on  her  face  was  a  look  of 
intense  sadness.  But  Prince  Yamato  hardened  his  heart, 
and  rode  away,  secretly  determined  to  keep  his  promise. 

When  Prince  Yamato,  his  wife  and  men,  reached  the 
sea-shore  of  Idzu,  his  followers    desired   to  secure   a 

55 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

number  of  boats  in  order  that  they  might  cross   the 
Straits  of  Kadzusa. 

The  Prince  cried  haughtily  :  "  Bah  !  this  is  only 
a  brook !  Why  so  many  boats  ?  I  could  jump 
across  it !  " 

When  they  had  all  embarked  and  started  on  their 
journey  a  great  storm  arose.  The  waves  turned  into 
water-mountains,  the  wind  shrieked,  the  lightning 
blazed  in  the  dark  clouds,  and  the  thunder  roared.  It 
seemed  that  the  boat  that  carried  the  Prince  and  his 
wife  must  needs  sink,  for  this  storm  was  the  work  of 
Rin-Jin,  King  of  the  Sea,  who  was  angry  with  the  proud 
and  foolish  words  of  Prince  Yamato. 

When  the  crew  had  taken  down  the  sails  in  the  hope 
of  steadying  the  vessel  the  storm  grew  worse  instead 
of  better.  At  last  Ototachibana  arose,  and,  forgiving 
all  the  sorrow  her  lord  had  caused  her,  she  resolved 
to  sacrifice  her  life  in  order  to  save  her  much-loved 
husband. 

Thus  spoke  the  loyal  Ototachibana  :  "  Oh,  Rin-Jin, 
the  Prince,  my  husband,  has  angered  you  with  his 
boasting.  I,  Ototachibana,  give  you  my  poor  life  in 
the  place  of  Yamato  Take.  I  now  cast  myself  into 
your  great  surging  kingdom,  and  do  you  in  return 
bring  my  lord  safely  to  the  shore. " 

Having  uttered  these  words,  Ototachibana  leapt  into 
the  seething  waves,  and  in  a  moment  they  dragged  that 
brave  woman  out  of  sight.  No  sooner  had  this  sacrifice 
been  made  than  the  storm  abated  and  the  sun  shone 
forth  in  a  cloudless  sky. 

Yamato  Take  safely  reached  his  destination,  and 
succeeded  in  quelling  the  Ainu  rising. 

Our  hero  had  certainly  erred  in  his  treatment  of  his 
faithful  wife.  Too  late  he  learnt  to  appreciate  her 
goodness  ;  but  let  it  be  said  to  his  credit  that  she 
56 


THE  ADVENTURES  OF  MOMOTARO 

remained  a  loving  memory  till  his  death,  while   the 
Princess  Miyadzu  was  entirely  forgotten. 

The  Slaying  of  the  Serpent 

Now  that  Yamato  Take  had  carried  out  his  father's 
instructions,  he  passed  through  the  province  of  Owari 
until  he  came  to  the  province  of  Omi. 

The  province  of  Omi  was  afflicted  with  a  great 
trouble.  Many  were  in  mourning,  and  many  wept  and 
cried  aloud  in  their  sorrow.  The  Prince,  on  making 
inquiries,  was  informed  that  a  great  serpent  every  day 
came  down  from  the  mountains  and  entered  the  villages, 
making  a  meal  of  many  of  the  unfortunate  inhabitants. 

Prince  Yamato  at  once  started  to  climb  up  Mount 
Ibaki,  where  the  great  serpent  was  said  to  live.  About 
half-way  up  he  encountered  the  awful  creature.  The 
Prince  was  so  strong  that  he  killed  the  serpent  by  twist- 
ing his  bare  arms  about  it.  He  had  no  sooner  done 
so  than  sudden  darkness  came  over  the  land,  and 
rain  fell  heavily.  However,  eventually  the  weather 
improved,  and  our  hero  was  able  to  climb  down  the 
mountain. 

When  he  reached  home  he  found  that  his  feet  burned 
with  a  strange  pain,  and,  moreover,  that  he  felt  very  ill. 
He  realised  that  the  serpent  had  stung  him,  and,  as  he 
was  too  ill  to  move,  he  was  carried  to  a  famous  mineral 
spring.  Here  he  finally  regained  his  accustomed  health 
and  strength,  and  for  these  blessings  gave  thanks  to 
Ama-terasu,  the  Sun  Goddess. 

The  Adventures  of  Momotaro 

One  day,  while  an  old  woman  stood  by  a  stream 
washing  her  clothes,  she  chanced  to  see  an  enormous 
peach  floating  on  the  water.  It  was  quite  the  largest 
she  had  ever  seen,  and  as  this  old  woman  and  her 

57 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

husband  were  extremely  poor  she  immediately  thought 
what  an  excellent  meal  this  extraordinary  peach  would 
make.  As  she  could  find  no  stick  with  which  to  draw 
the  fruit  to  the  bank,  she  suddenly  remembered  the 
following  verse  : 

"  Distant  water  is  bitter, 
The  near  water  is  sweet  ; 
Pass  by  the  distant  water 
And  come  into  the  sweet." 

This  little  song  had  the  desired  effect.  The  peach 
came  nearer  and  nearer  till  it  stopped  at  the  old  woman's 
feet.  She  stooped  down  and  picked  it  up.  So  delighted 
was  she  with  her  discovery  that  she  could  not  stay  to 
do  any  more  washing,  but  hurried  home  as  quickly  as 
possible. 

When  her  husband  arrived  in  the  evening,  with  a 
bundle  of  grass  upon  his  back,  the  old  woman  excitedly 
took  the  peach  out  of  a  cupboard  and  showed  it  to  him. 

The  old  man,  who  was  tired  and  hungry,  was  equally 
delighted  at  the  thought  of  so  delicious  a  meal.  He 
speedily  brought  a  knife  and  was  about  to  cut  the 
fruit  open,  when  it  suddenly  opened  of  its  own  accord, 
and  the  prettiest  child  imaginable  tumbled  out  with  a 
merry  laugh. 

"Don't  be  afraid,"  said  the  little  fellow.  "The 
Gods  have  heard  how  much  you  desired  a  child,  and 
have  sent  me  to  be  a  solace  and  a  comfort  in  your  old 
age." 

The  old  couple  were  so  overcome  with  joy  that  they 
scarcely  knew  what  to  do  with  themselves.  Each  in 
turn  nursed  the  child,  caressed  him,  and  murmured 
many  sweet  and  affectionate  words.  They  called  him 
Momotaro,  or  "Son  of  a  Peach." 

When  Momotaro  was  fifteen  years  old  he  was  a  lad 
far  taller  and  stronger  than  boys  of  his  own  age.  The 
58 


Momotaro  and  the  Pheasant. 


5» 


THE  TRIUMPH  OF  MOMOTARO 

making  of  a  great  hero  stirred  in  his  veins,  and  it  was 
a  knightly  heroism  that  desired  to  right  the  wrong. 

One  day  Momotaro  came  to  his  foster-father  and 
asked  him  if  he  would  allow  him  to  take  a  long  journey 
to  a  certain  island  in  the  North-Eastern  Sea  where 
dwelt  a  number  of  devils,  who  had  captured  a  great 
company  of  innocent  people,  many  of  whom  they 
ate.  Their  wickedness  was  beyond  description,  and 
Momotaro  desired  to  kill  them,  rescue  the  unfortunate 
captives,  and  bring  back  the  plunder  of  the  island  that 
he  might  share  it  with  his  foster-parents. 

The  old  man  was  not  a  little  surprised  to  hear  this 
daring  scheme.  He  knew  that  Momotaro  was  no 
common  child.  He  had  been  sent  from  heaven,  and 
he  believed  that  all  the  devils  in  the  world  could  not 
harm  him.  So  at  length  the  old  man  gave  his  consent, 
saying  :  "  Go,  Momotaro,  slay  the  devils  and  bring 
peace  to  the  land." 

When  the  old  woman  had  given  Momotaro  a  number 
of  rice-cakes  the  youth  bade  his  foster-parents  farewell, 
and  started  out  upon  his  journey. 

The  Triumph  of  Momotaro 

While  Momotaro  was  resting  under  a  hedge  eating 
one  of  the  rice-cakes,  a  great  dog  came  up  to  him, 
growled,  and  showed  his  teeth.  The  dog,  moreover, 
could  speak,  and  threateningly  begged  that  Momotaro 
would  give  him  a  cake.  "  Either  you  give  me  a  cake," 
said  he,  "  or  I  will  kill  you  !  " 

When,  however,  the  dog  heard  that  the  famous 
Momotaro  stood  before  him,  his  tail  dropped  between 
his  legs  and  he  bowed  with  his  head  to  the  ground, 
requesting  that  he  might  follow  "  Son  of  a  Peach,"  and 
render  to  him  all  the  service  that  lay  in  his  power. 

Momotaro  readily  accepted  the  offer,  and  after 

59 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

throwing  the  dog  half  a  cake  they  proceeded  on  their 
way. 

They  had  not  gone  far  when  they  encountered  a 
monkey,  who  also  begged  to  be  admitted  to  Momotaro's 
service.  This  was  granted,  but  it  was  some  time  before 
the  dog  and  the  monkey  ceased  snapping  at  each  other 
and  became  good  friends. 

Proceeding  upon  their  journey,  they  came  across  a 
pheasant.  Now  the  innate  jealousy  of  the  dog  was 
again  awakened,  and  he  ran  forward  and  tried  to  kill 
the  bright-plumed  creature.  Momotaro  separated  the 
combatants,  and  in  the  end  the  pheasant  was  also 
admitted  to  the  little  band,  walking  decorously  in  the 
rear. 

At  length  Momotaro  and  his  followers  reached  the 
shore  of  the  North-Eastern  Sea.  Here  our  hero  dis- 
covered a  boat,  and  after  a  good  deal  of  timidity  on  the 
part  of  the  dog,  monkey,  and  pheasant,  they  all  got 
aboard,  and  soon  the  little  vessel  was  spinning  away 
over  the  blue  sea. 

After  many  days  upon  the  ocean  they  sighted  an 
island.  Momotaro  bade  the  bird  fly  off,  a  winged 
herald  to  announce  his  coming,  and  bid  the  devils 
surrender. 

The  pheasant  flew  over  the  sea  and  alighted  on  the 
roof  of  a  great  castle  and  shouted  his  stirring  message, 
adding  that  the  devils,  as  a  sign  of  submission,  should 
break  their  horns. 

The  devils  only  laughed  and  shook  their  horns  and 
shaggy  red  hair.  Then  they  brought  forth  iron  bars 
and  hurled  them  furiously  at  the  bird.  The  pheasant 
cleverly  evaded  the  missiles,  and  flew  at  the  heads  of 
many  devils. 

In  the  meantime  Momotaro  had  landed  with  his  two 
companions.  He  had  no  sooner  done  so  than  he  saw 
60 


THE  TRIUMPH  OF  MOMOTARO 

two  beautiful  damsels  weeping  by  a  stream,  as  they 
wrung  out  blood-soaked  garments. 

"  Oh  !  "  said  they  pitifully,  "  we  are  daughters  of 
daimyos,  and  are  now  the  captives  of  the  Demon  King 
of  this  dreadful  island.  Soon  he  will  kill  us,  and  alas  ! 
there  is  no  one  to  come  to  our  aid."  Having  made 
these  remarks  the  women  wept  anew. 

"Ladies,"  said  Momotaro,  "I  have  come  for  the 
purpose  of  slaying  your  wicked  enemies.  Show  me  a 
way  into  yonder  castle." 

So  Momotaro,  the  dog,  and  the  monkey  entered 
through  a  small  door  in  the  castle.  Once  inside  this 
fortification  they  fought  tenaciously.  Many  of  the 
devils  were  so  frightened  that  they  fell  off  the  parapets 
and  were  dashed  to  pieces,  while  others  were  speedily 
killed  by  Momotaro  and  his  companions.  All  were 
destroyed  except  the  Demon  King  himself,  and  he 
wisely  resolved  to  surrender,  and  begged  that  his  life 
might  be  spared. 

"  No,"  said  Momotaro  fiercely.  "  I  will  not  spare 
your  wicked  life.  You  have  tortured  many  innocent 
people  and  robbed  the  country  for  many  years." 

Having  said  these  words  he  gave  the  Demon  King 
into  the  monkey's  keeping,  and  then  proceeded  through 
all  the  rooms  of  the  castle,  and  set  free  the  numerous 
prisoners  he  found  there.  He  also  gathered  together 
much  treasure. 

The  return  journey  was  a  very  joyous  affair  indeed. 
The  dog  and  the  pheasant  carried  the  treasure  between 
them,  while  Momotaro  led  the  Demon  King. 

Momotaro  restored  the  two  daughters  of  daimyos  to 
their  homes,  and  many  others  who  had  been  made 
captives  in  the  island.  The  whole  country  rejoiced  in 
his  victory,  but  no  one  more  than  Momotaro's  foster- 
parents,  who  ended  their  days  in  peace  and  plenty, 

61 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

thanks   to    the    great    treasure    of  the    devils    which 
Momotaro  bestowed  upon  them. 

"My  Lord  Bag  of  Rice" 

One  day  the  great  Hidesato  came  to  a  bridge  that 
spanned  the  beautiful  Lake  Biwa.  He  was  about  to 
cross  it  when  he  noticed  a  great  serpent-dragon  fast 
asleep  obstructing  his  progress.  Hidesato,  without  a 
moment's  hesitation,  climbed  over  the  monster  and 
proceeded  on  his  way. 

He  had  not  gone  far  when  he  heard  some  one  calling 
to  him.  He  looked  back  and  saw  that  in  the  place  ot 
the  dragon  a  man  stood  bowing  to  him  with  much 
ceremony.  He  was  a  strange-looking  fellow  with  a 
dragon-shaped  crown  resting  upon  his  red  hair. 

"  I  am  the  Dragon  King  of  Lake  Biwa,"  explained 
the  red-haired  man.  "  A  moment  ago  I  took  the  form 
of  a  horrible  monster  in  the  hope  of  finding  a  mortal 
who  would  not  be  afraid  of  me.  You,  my  lord,  showed 
no  fear,  and  I  rejoice  exceedingly.  A  great  centipede 
comes  down  from  yonder  mountain,  enters  my  palace, 
and  destroys  my  children  and  grandchildren.  One  by 
one  they  have  become  food  for  this  dread  creature,  and 
I  fear  soon  that  unless  something  can  be  done  to  slay 
this  centipede  I  myself  shall  become  a  victim.  I  have 
waited  long  for  a  brave  mortal.  All  men  who  have 
hitherto  seen  me  in  my  dragon-shape  have  run  away. 
You  are  a  brave  man,  and  I  beg  that  you  will  kill  my 
bitter  enemy." 

Hidesato,  who  always  welcomed  an  adventure,  the 
more  so  when  it  was  a  perilous  one,  readily  consented 
to  see  what  he  could  do  for  the  Dragon  King. 

When  Hidesato  reached  the  Dragon  King's  palace 
he  found  it  to  be  a  very  magnificent  building  indeed, 
scarcely  less  beautiful  than  the  Sea  King's  palace  itself. 
62 


MY  LORD  BAG  OF  RICE 

He  was  feasted  with  crystallised  lotus  leaves  and  flowers, 
and  ate  the  delicacies  spread  before  him  with  choice 
ebony  chopsticks.  While  he  feasted  ten  little  goldfish 
danced,  and  just  behind  the  goldfish  ten  carp  made  sweet 
music  on  the  koto  and  samisen.  Hidesato  was  just 
thinking  how  excellently  he  had  been  entertained,  and 
how  particularly  good  was  the  wine,  when  they  all 
heard  an  awful  noise  like  a  dozen  thunderclaps  roaring 
together. 

Hidesato  and  the  Dragon  King  hastily  rose  and  ran 
to  the  balcony.  They  saw  that  Mount  Mikami  was 
scarcely  recognisable,  for  it  was  covered  from  top  to 
bottom  with  the  great  coils  of  the  centipede.  In  its 
head  glowed  two  balls  of  fire,  and  its  hundred  feet  were 
like  a  long  winding  chain  of  lanterns. 

Hidesato  fitted  an  arrow  to  his  bowstring  and  pulled 
it  back  with  all  his  might.  The  arrow  sped  forth  into 
the  night  and  struck  the  centipede  in  the  middle  of  the 
head,  but  glanced  off  immediately  without  inflicting  any 
wound.  Again  Hidesato  sent  an  arrow  whirling  into 
the  air,  and  again  it  struck  the  monster  and  fell  harm- 
lessly to  the  ground.  Hidesato  had  only  one  arrow 
left.  Suddenly  remembering  the  magical  effect  of 
human  saliva,  he  put  the  remaining  arrow-head  into  his 
mouth  for  a  moment,  and  then  hastily  adjusted  it  to  his 
bow  and  took  careful  aim. 

The  last  arrow  struck  its  mark  and  pierced  the  centi- 
pede's brain.  The  creature  stopped  moving  ;  the  light 
in  its  eyes  and  legs  darkened  and  then  went  out,  and 
Lake  Biwa,  with  its  palace  beneath,  was  shrouded  in 
awful  darkness.  Thunder  rolled,  lightning  flashed,  and 
it  seemed  for  the  moment  that  the  Dragon  King's  palace 
would  topple  to  the  ground. 

The  next  day,  however,  all  sign  of  storm  had 
vanished.  The  sky  was  clear.  The  sun  shone  brightly. 

63 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

In  the  sparkling  blue  lake  lay  the  body  of  the  great 
centipede. 

The  Dragon  King  and  those  about  him  were  over- 
joyed when  they  knew  that  their  dread  enemy  had  been 
destroyed.  Hidesato  was  again  feasted,  even  more 
royally  than  before.  When  he  finally  departed  he  did 
so  with  a  retinue  of  fishes  suddenly  converted  into  men. 
The  Dragon  King  bestowed  upon  our  hero  five  precious 
gifts — two  bells,  a  bag  of  rice,  a  roll  of  silk,  and  a 
cooking-pot. 

The  Dragon  King  accompanied  Hidesato  as  far  as 
the  bridge,  and  then  he  reluctantly  allowed  the  hero 
and  the  procession  of  servants  carrying  the  presents  to 
proceed  on  their  way. 

When  Hidesato  reached  his  home  the  Dragon 
King's  servants  put  down  the  presents  and  suddenly 
disappeared. 

The  presents  were  no  ordinary  gifts.  The  rice-bag 
was  inexhaustible,  there  was  no  end  to  the  roll  of 
silk,  and  the  cooking-pot  would  cook  without  fire  of 
any  kind.  Only  the  bells  were  without  magical  pro- 
perties, and  these  were  presented  to  a  temple  in  the 
vicinity.  Hidesato  grew  rich,  and  his  fame  spread  far 
and  wide.  People  now  no  longer  called  him  Hidesato, 
but  Tawara  Toda,  or  "  My  Lord  Bag  of  Rice." 


CHAPTER  III :  THE  BAMBOOCUTTER 
AND  THE  MOON-MAIDEN 

The  Coming  of  the  Lady  Kaguya 

LONG  ago  there  lived  an  old  bamboo-cutter  by  the 
name  of  Sanugi  no  Miyakko.     One  day,  while 
he  was  busy  with  his  hatchet  in  a  grove  of  bam- 
boos, he  suddenly  perceived  a  miraculous  light,  and  on 
closer  inspection  discovered  in  the  heart  of  a  reed  a  very 
small  creature  of  exquisite  beauty.    He  gently  picked 
up  the  tiny  girl,  only  about  four  inches  in  height,  and 
carried  her  home  to  his  wife.     So  delicate  was  this  little 
maiden  that  she  had  to  be  reared  in  a  basket. 

Now  it  happened  that  the  Bamboo-cutter  continued 
to  set  about  his  business,  and  night  and  day,  as  he  cut 
down  the  reeds,  he  found  gold,  and,  once  poor,  he  now 
amassed  a  considerable  fortune. 

The  child,  after  she  had  been  but  three  months  with 
these  simple  country  folk,  suddenly  grew  in  stature  to 
that  of  a  full-grown  maid  ;  and  in  order  that  she  should 
be  in  keeping  with  such  a  pleasing,  if  surprising,  event, 
her  hair,  hitherto  allowed  to  flow  in  long  tresses  about 
her  shoulders,  was  now  fastened  in  a  knot  on  her  head. 
In  due  season  the  Bamboo-cutter  named  the  girl  the 
Lady  Kaguya,  or  "  Precious  -Slender  -Bamboo  -of-  the  - 
Field-of- Autumn."  When  she  had  been  named  a  great 
feast  was  held,  in  which  all  the  neighbours  participated. 

The  Wooing  of  the  "  PreciouS'Slende^BamboO' 
of  -the-Field-of  -  Autumn  " 

"  When  a  woman  is  somewhat  fairer  than  the  crowd 
of  women  how  greatly  do  men  long  to  gaze  upon  her 
beauty  ! " — Taketori. 

Now  the  Lady  Kaguya  was  of  all  women  the  most 
beautiful,  and  immediately  after  the  feast  the  fame  of 

65 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

her  beauty  spread  throughout  the  land.  Would-be 
lovers  gathered  around  the  fence  and  lingered  in  the 
porch  with  the  hope  of  at  least  getting  a  glimpse  of 
this  lovely  maiden.  Night  and  day  these  forlorn  suitors 
waited,  but  in  vain.  Those  who  were  of  humble  origin 
gradually  began  to  recognise  that  their  love-making 
was  useless.  But  five  wealthy  suitors  still  persisted, 
and  would  not  relax  their  efforts.  They  were  Prince 
Ishizukuri  and  Prince  Kuramochi,  the  Sadaijin  Dainagon 
Abe  no  Miushi,  the  Chiunagon  Otomo  no  Miyuki,  and 
Morotada,  the  Lord  of  Iso.  These  ardent  lovers  bore 
c<  the  ice  and  snow  of  winter  and  the  thunderous  heats 
of  midsummer  with  equal  fortitude."  When  these  lords 
finally  asked  the  Bamboo-cutter  to  bestow  his  daughter 
upon  one  of  them,  the  old  man  politely  explained  that 
the  maiden  was  not  really  his  daughter,  and  as  that  was 
so  she  could  not  be  compelled  to  obey  his  own  wishes 
in  the  matter. 

At  last  the  lords  returned  to  their  mansions,  but  still 
continued  to  make  their  supplications  more  persistently 
than  ever.  Even  the  kindly  Bamboo-cutter  began  to 
remonstrate  with  the  Lady  Kaguya,  and  to  point  out 
that  it  was  becoming  for  so  handsome  a  maid  to  marry, 
and  that  among  the  five  noble  suitors  she  could  surely 
make  a  very  good  match.  To  this  the  wise  Kaguya 
replied  :  "  Not  so  fair  am  I  that  I  may  be  certain  of  a 
man's  faith,  and  were  I  to  mate  with  one  whose  heart 
proved  fickle  what  a  miserable  fate  were  mine  !  Noble 
lords,  without  doubt,  are  these  of  whom  thou  speakest, 
but  I  would  not  wed  a  man  whose  heart  should  be  all 
untried  and  unknown." 

It  was  finally  arranged  that  Kaguya  should  marry 
the  suitor  who  proved  himself  the  most  worthy. 
This  news  brought  momentary  hope  to  the  five  great 
lords,  and  when  night  came  they  assembled  before  the 
66 


BEGGING-BOWL  OF  THE  LORD  BUDDHA 

house  where  the  maiden  dwelt  "with  flute  music  and 
with  singing,  with  chanting  to  accompaniments  and 
piping,  with  cadenced  tap  and  clap  of  fan."  Only 
the  Bamboo-cutter  went  out  to  thank  the  lords  for 
their  serenading.  When  he  had  come  into  the  house 
again,  Kaguya  thus  set  forth  her  plan  to  test  the 
suitors  : 

"In  Tenjiku  (Northern  India)  is  a  beggar's  bowl  of 
stone,  which  of  old  the  Buddha  himself  bore,  in  quest 
whereof  let  Prince  Ishizukuri  depart  and  bring  me  the 
same.  And  on  the  mountain  Horai,  that  towers  over 
the  Eastern  ocean,  grows  a  tree  with  roots  of  silver 
and  trunk  of  gold  and  fruitage  of  pure  white  jade,  and 
1  bid  Prince  Kuramochi  fare  thither  and  break  off  and 
bring  me  a  branch  thereof.  Again,  in  the  land  of 
Morokoshi  men  fashion  fur-robes  of  the  pelt  of  the 
Flame-proof  Rat,  and  I  pray  the  Dainagon  to  find  me 
one  such.  Then  of  the  Chiunagon  I  require  the 
rainbow-hued  jewel  that  hides  its  sparkle  deep  in  the 
dragon's  head  ;  and  from  the  hands  of  the  Lord  Iso 
would  I  fain  receive  the  cowry-shell  that  the  swallow 
brings  hither  over  the  broad  sea-plain." 

The  Begging'bowl  of  the  Lord  Buddha 

The  Prince  Ishizukuri,  after  pondering  over  the 
matter  of  going  to  distant  Tenjiku  in  search  of  the 
Lord  Buddha's  begging-bowl,  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  such  a  proceeding  would  be  futile.  He  decided, 
therefore,  to  counterfeit  the  bowl  in  question.  He  laid 
his  plans  cunningly,  and  took  good  care  that  the  Lady 
Kaguya  was  informed  that  he  had  actually  undertaken 
the  journey.  As  a  matter  of  fact  this  artful  suitor  hid 
in  Yamato  for  three  years,  and  after  that  time  discovered 
in  a  hill-monastery  in  Tochi  a  bowl  of  extreme  age 
7  67 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

resting  upon  an  altar  of  Binzuru  (the  Succourer  in 
Sickness).  This  bowl  he  took  away  with  him,  and 
wrapped  it  in  brocade,  and  attached  to  the  gift  an 
artificial  branch  of  blossom. 

When  the  Lady  Kaguya  looked  upon  the  bowl  she 
found  inside  a  scroll  containing  the  following  : 

"  Over  seas,  over  hills 
hath  thy  servant  fared,  and  weary 
and  wayworn  he  perisheth  : 
O  what  tears  hath  cost  this  bowl  of 
stone, 
what  floods  of  streaming  tears !  " 

But  when  the  Lady  Kaguya  perceived  that  no  light 
shone  from  the  vessel  she  at  once  knew  that  it  had 
never  belonged  to  the  Lord  Buddha.  She  accordingly 
sent  back  the  bowl  with  the  following  verse  : 

"  Of  the  hanging  dewdrop 
not  even  the  passing  sheen 
dwells  herein  : 

On  the  Hill  of  Darkness,  the  Hill 
of  Ogura, 
what  couldest  thou  hope  to  find  ?" 

The  Prince,  having  thrown  away  the  bowl,  sought  to 
turn  the  above  remonstrance  into  a  compliment  to  the 
lady  who  wrote  it. 

"  Nay,  on  the  Hill  of  Brightness 
what  splendour 
will  not  pale  ? 

Would  that  away  from  the  light 
of  thy  beauty 

the  sheen  of  yonder  Bowl  might 
prove  me  true  !  " 

It  was  a  prettily  turned  compliment  by  a  suitor  who 
was  an  utter  humbug.     This  latest  poetical  sally  availed 
nothing,  and  the  Prince  sadly  departed. 
68 


JEWEL-BEARING  BRANCH  OF  MOUNT  HORAI 

The  Jewel'bearing  Branch  of  Mount  Horai 

Prince  Kuramochi,  like  his  predecessor,  was  equally 
wily,  and  made  it  generally  known  that  he  was  setting 
out  on  a  journey  to  the  land  of  Tsukushi  in  quest  of 
the  Jewel-bearing  Branch.  What  he  actually  did  was 
to  employ  six  men  of  the  Uchimaro  family,  celebrated 
craftsmen,  and  secure  for  them  a  dwelling  hidden  from 
the  haunts  of  men,  where  he  himself  abode,  for  the 
purpose  of  instructing  the  craftsmen  as  to  how  they 
were  to  make  a  Jewel-bearing  Branch  identical  with 
the  one  described  by  the  Lady  Kaguya. 

When  the  Jewel-bearing  Branch  was  finished,  he  set 
out  to  wait  upon  the  Lady  Kaguya,  who  read  the 
following  verse  attached  to  the  gift : 

"  Though  it  were  at  the  peril 
of  my  very  life, 

without  the  Jewel-laden  Branch 
in  my  hands  never  again 
would  I  have  dared  to  return  !  " 

The  Lady  Kaguya  looked  sadly  upon  this  glittering 
branch,  and  listened  without  interest  to  the  Prince's 
purely  imaginative  story  of  his  adventures.  The  Prince 
dwelt  upon  the  terrors  of  the  sea,  of  strange  monsters, 
of  acute  hunger,  of  disease,  which  were  their  trials  upon 
the  ocean.  Then  this  incorrigible  story-teller  went  on 
to  describe  how  they  came  to  a  high  mountain  rising 
out  of  the  sea,  where  they  were  greeted  by  a  woman 
bearing  a  silver  vessel  which  she  filled  with  water.  On 
the  mountain  were  wonderful  flowers  and  trees,  and  a 
stream  "  rainbow-hued,  yellow  as  gold,  white  as  silver, 
blue  as  precious  run  (lapis  lazuli)  ;  and  the  stream  was 
spanned  by  bridges  built  up  of  divers  gems,  and  by  it 
grew  trees  laden  with  dazzling  jewels,  and  from  one  of 

69 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

these  I  broke  off  the  branch  which  I  venture  now  to 
offer  to  the  Lady  Kaguya." 

No  doubt  the  Lady  Kaguya  would  have  been  forced 
to  believe  this  ingenious  tale  had  not  at  that  very 
moment  the  six  craftsmen  appeared  on  the  scene,  and 
by  loudly  demanding  payment  for  the  ready-made  Jewel- 
Branch,  exposed  the  treachery  of  the  Prince,  who  made 
a  hasty  retreat.  The  Lady  Kaguya  herself  rewarded 
the  craftsmen,  happy,  no  doubt,  to  escape  so  easily. 

The  Flameproof  Fur-Robe 

The  Sadaijin  (Left  Great  Minister)  Abe  no  Miushi 
commissioned  a  merchant,  by  the  name  of  Wokei,  to 
obtain  for  him  a  fur-robe  made  from  the  Flame-proof 
Rat,  and  when  the  merchant's  ship  had  returned  from 
the  land  of  Morokoshi  it  bore  a  fur-robe,  which  the 
sanguine  Sadaijin  imagined  to  be  the  very  object  of  his 
desire.  The  Fur-Robe  rested  in  a  casket,  and  the 
Sadaijin,  believing  in  the  honesty  of  the  merchant, 
described  it  as  being  "  of  a  sea-green  colour,  the  hairs 
tipped  with  shining  gold,  a  treasure  indeed  of  incom- 
parable loveliness,  more  to  be  admired  for  its  pure 
excellence  than  even  for  its  virtue  in  resisting  the  flame 
of  fire." 

The  Sadaijin,  assured  of  success  in  his  wooing,  gaily 
set  out  to  present  his  gift  to  the  Lady  Kaguya,  offering 
in  addition  the  following  verse  : 

"  Endless  are  the  fires  of  love 
that  consume  me,  yet  unconsumed 
is  the  Robe  of  Fur  : 
dry  at  last  are  my  sleeves, 
for  shall  I  not  see  her  face  this  day  !  " 

At  last  the  Sadaijin  was  able  to  present  his  gift  to  the 
Lady  Kaguya,  Thus  she  addressed  the  Bamboo-cutter, 
70 


THE  JEWEL  IN  THE  DRAGON'S  HEAD 

who  always  seems  to  have  been  conveniently  on  the 
scene  at  such  times  :  "  If  this  Robe  be  thrown  amid 
the  flames  and  be  not  burnt  up,  I  shall  know  it  is  in 
very  truth  the  Flame-proof  Robe,  and  may  no  longer 
refuse  this  lord's  suit."  A  fire  was  lighted,  and  the  Robe 
thrown  into  the  flames,  where  it  perished  immediately. 
"  When  the  Sadaijin  saw  this  his  face  grew  green  as 
grass,  and  he  stood  there  astonished."  But  the  Lady 
Kaguya  discreetly  rejoiced,  and  returned  the  casket  with 
the  following  verse  : 

"  Without  a  vestige  even  left 
thus  to  burn  utterly  away, 
had  I  dreamt  it  of  this  Robe  of  Fur. 
Alas  the  pretty  thing  !  far  otherwise 
would  I  have  dealt  with  it." 

The  Jewel  in  the  Dragon's  Head 

The  Chiunagon  Otomo  no  Miyuki  assembled  his 
household  and  informed  his  retainers  that  he  desired 
them  to  bring  him  the  Jewel  in  the  Dragon's  head. 

Aften  some  demur  they  pretended  to  set  off  on  this 
quest.  In  the  meantime  the  Chiunagon  was  so  sure 
of  his  servants'  success  that  he  had  his  house  lavishly 
adorned  throughout  with  exquisite  lacquer-work,  in  gold 
and  silver.  Every  room  was  hung  with  brocade,  the 
panels  rich  with  pictures,  and  over  the  roof  were  silken 
cloths. 

Weary  of  waiting,  the  Chiunagon  after  a  time  j  ourneyed 
to  Naniwa  and  questioned  the  inhabitants  if  any  of  his 
servants  had  taken  boat  in  quest  of  the  Dragon.  The 
Chiunagon  learnt  that  none  of  his  men  had  come  to 
Naniwa,  and,  considerably  displeased  at  the  news,  he 
himself  embarked  with  a  helmsman. 

Now  it  happened  that  the  Thunder  God  was  angry 
and  the  sea  ran  high.  After  many  days  the  storm 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

grew  so  severe  and  the  boat  was  so  near  sinking 
that  the  helmsman  ventured  to  remark  :  "  The  howling 
of  the  wind  and  the  raging  of  the  waves  and  the 
mighty  roar  of  the  thunder  are  signs  of  the  wrath  of 
the  God  whom  my  lord  offends,  who  would  slay  the 
Dragon  of  the  deep,  for  through  the  Dragon  is  the 
storm  raised,  and  well  it  were  if  my  lord  offered  a 
prayer." 

As  the  Chiunagon  had  been  seized  with  "a  terrible 
sickness,"  it  is  not  surprising  to  find  that  he  readily  took 
the  helmsman's  advice.  He  prayed  no  less  than  a 
thousand  times,  enlarging  on  his  folly  in  attempting  to 
slay  the  Dragon,  and  solemnly  vowed  that  he  would 
leave  the  Ruler  of  the  deep  in  peace. 

The  thunder  ceased  and  the  clouds  dispersed,  but 
the  wind  was  as  fierce  and  strong  as  ever.  The  helms- 
man, however,  told  his  master  that  it  was  a  fair  wind 
and  blew  towards  their  own  land. 

At  last  they  reached  the  strand  of  Akashi,  in 
Harima.  But  the  Chiunagon,  still  ill  and  mightily 
frightened,  vowed  that  they  had  been  driven  upon  a 
savage  shore,  and  lay  full  length  in  the  boat,  panting 
heavily,  and  refusing  to  rise  when  the  governor  of  the 
district  presented  himself. 

When  the  Chiunagon  at  last  realised  that  they  had  not 
been  blown  upon  some  savage  shore  he  consented  to 
land.  No  wonder  the  governor  smiled  when  he  saw 
"the  wretched  appearance  of  the  discomfited  lord, 
chilled  to  the  very  bone,  with  swollen  belly  and  eyes 
lustreless  as  sloes." 

At  length  the  Chiunagon  was  carried  in  a  litter  to  his 
own  home.  When  he  had  arrived  his  cunning  servants 
humbly  told  their  master  how  they  had  failed  in  the 
quest.  Thus  the  Chiunagon  greeted  them  :  "  Ye  have 
done  well  to  return  empty-handed.  Yonder  Dragon, 
7* 


THE  ROYAL  HUNT 

assuredly,  has  kinship  with  the  Thunder  God,  and 
whoever  shall  lay  hands  on  him  to  take  the  jewel  that 
gleams  in  his  head  shall  find  himself  in  peril.  Myself 
am  sore  spent  with  toil  and  hardship,  and  no  guerdon 
have  I  won.  A  thief  of  men's  souls  and  a  destroyer  of 
their  bodies  is  the  Lady  Kaguya,  nor  ever  will  I  seek 
her  abode  again,  nor  ever  bend  ye  your  steps  thither- 
ward." 

We  are  told,  in  conclusion,  that  when  the  women  of 
his  household  heard  of  their  lord's  adventure  "they 
laughed  till  their  sides  were  sore,  while  the  silken 
cloths  he  had  caused  to  be  drawn  over  the  roof  of  his 
mansion  were  carried  away,  thread  by  thread,  by  the 
crows  to  line  their  nests  with." 

The  Royal  Hunt1 

Now  the  fame  of  the  Lady  Kaguya's  beauty  reached 
the  court,  and  the  Mikado,  anxious  to  gaze  upon  her, 
sent  one  of  his  palace  ladies,  Fusago,  to  go  and  see  the 
Bamboo-cutter's  daughter,  and  to  report  to  his  Majesty 
of  her  excellences. 

However,  when  Fusago  reached  the  Bamboo-cutter's 
house  the  Lady  Kaguya  refused  to  see  her.  So  the 
palace  lady  returned  to  court  and  reported  the  matter 
to  the  Mikado.  His  Majesty,  not  a  little  displeased, 
sent  for  the  Bamboo-cutter,  and  made  him  bring  the 
Lady  Kaguya  to  court  that  he  might  see  her,  adding : 
"A  hat  of  nobility,  perchance,  shall  be  her  father's 
reward." 

The  old  Bamboo-cutter  was  an  admirable  soul,  and 
mildly  discountenanced  his  daughter's  extraordinary 
behaviour.  Although  he  loved  court  favours  and 

1  The  Fifth  Quest,  that  of  Lord  Iso,  is  omitted.  The  story  is 
trivial  and  of  no  particular  interest.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  Lord  Iso's 
search  for  the  cowry-shell  T.vas  in  vain. 

73 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

probably  hankered  after  so  distinguished  a  hat,  it  must 
be  said  of  him  that  he  was  first  of  all  true  to  his  duty 
as  a  father. 

When,  on  returning  to  his  home,  he  discussed  the 
matter  with  the  Lady  Kaguya,  she  informed  the  old 
man  that  if  she  were  compelled  to  go  to  court  it  would 
certainly  cause  her  death,  adding  :  "  The  price  of  my 
father's  hat  of  nobility  will  be  the  destruction  of  his 
child." 

The  Bamboo-cutter  was  deeply  affected  by  these 
words,  and  once  more  set  out  on  a  journey  to  the 
court,  where  he  humbly  made  known  his  daughter's 
decision. 

The  Mikado,  not  to  be  denied  even  by  an  extra- 
ordinarily beautiful  woman,  hit  on  the  ingenious  plan 
of  ordering  a  Royal  Hunt,  so  arranged  that  he  might 
unexpectedly  arrive  at  the  Bamboo-cutter's  dwelling, 
and  perchance  see  the  lady  who  could  set  at  defiance 
the  desires  of  an  emperor. 

On  the  day  appointed  for  the  Royal  Hunt,  therefore, 
the  Mikado  entered  the  Bamboo-cutter's  house.  He 
had  no  sooner  done  so  than  he  was  surprised  to  see  in 
the  room  in  which  he  stood  a  wonderful  light,  and  in 
the  light  none  other  than  the  Lady  Kaguya. 

His  Majesty  advanced  and  touched  the  maiden's 
sleeve,  whereupon  she  hid  her  face,  but  not  before  the 
Mikado  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  her  beauty.  Amazed 
by  her  extreme  loveliness,  and  taking  no  notice  of  her 
protests,  he  ordered  a  palace  litter  to  be  brought ;  but 
on  its  arrival  the  Lady  Kaguya  suddenly  vanished.  The 
Emperor,  perceiving  that  he  was  dealing  with  no  mortal 
maid,  exclaimed :  "  It  shall  be  as  thou  desirest,  maiden  ; 
but  'tis  prayed  that  thou  resume  thy  form,  that  once 
more  thy  beauty  may  be  seen." 

So  the  Lady  Kaguya  resumed  her  fair  form  again* 
74 


THE  CELESTIAL  ROBE  OF  FEATHERS 

As    his    Majesty    was    about    to    be    borne    away    he 
composed  the  following  verse  : 

"  Mournful  the  return 
of  the  Royal  Hunt, 
and  full  of  sorrow  the  brooding 
heart ; 

for  she  resists  and  stays  behind, 
the  Lady  Kaguya  !  " 

The  Lady  Kaguya  thus  made  answer  : 

"  Under  the  roof  o'ergrown  with 
hopbine 

long  were  the  years 
she  passed. 

How  may  she  dare  to  look  upon 
The  Palace  of  Precious  Jade  ?  " 

The  Celestial  Robe  of  Feathers 

In  the  third  year  after  the  Royal  Hunt,  and  in  the 
spring-time,  the  Lady  Kaguya  continually  gazed  at  the 
moon.  On  the  seventh  month,  when  the  moon  was 
full,  the  Lady  Kaguya's  sorrow  increased  so  that  her 
weeping  distressed  the  maidens  who  served  her.  At 
last  they  came  to  the  Bamboo-cutter,  and  said  :  "  Long 
has  the  Lady  Kaguya  watched  the  moon,  waxing  in 
melancholy  with  the  waxing  thereof,  and  her  woe  now 
passes  all  measure,  and  sorely  she  weeps  and  wails  ; 
wherefore  we  counsel  thee  to  speak  with  her." 

When  the  Bamboo-cutter  communed  with  his 
daughter,  he  requested  that  she  should  tell  him  the 
cause  of  her  sorrow,  and  was  informed  that  the  sight  of 
the  moon  caused  her  to  reflect  upon  the  wretchedness 
of  the  world. 

During  the  eighth  month  the  Lady  Kaguya  explained 
to  her  maids  that  she  was  no  ordinary  mortal,  but  that 
her  birthplace  was  the  Capital  of  Moonland,  and  that 

75 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

the  time  was  now  at  hand  when  she  was  destined  to 
leave  the  world  and  return  to  her  old  home. 

Not  only  was  the  Bamboo-cutter  heart-broken  at  this 
sorrowful  news,  but  the  Mikado  also  was  considerably 
troubled  when  he  heard  of  the  proposed  departure  of 
the  Lady  Kaguya.  His  Majesty  was  informed  that  at 
the  next  full  moon  a  company  would  be  sent  down 
from  that  shining  orb  to  take  this  beautiful  lady  away, 
whereupon  he  determined  to  put  a  check  upon  this 
celestial  invasion.  He  ordered  that  a  guard  of  soldiers 
should  be  stationed  about  the  Bamboo-cutter's  house, 
armed  and  prepared,  if  need  be,  to  shoot  their  arrows 
upon  those  Moonfolk,  who  would  fain  take  the  beautiful 
Lady  Kaguya  away. 

The  old  Bamboo-cutter  naturally  thought  that  with 
such  a  guard  to  protect  his  daughter  the  invasion  from 
the  moon  would  prove  utterly  futile.  The  Lady 
Kaguya  attempted  to  correct  the  old  man's  ideas  on  the 
subject,  saying  :  "  Ye  cannot  prevail  over  the  folk  of 
yonder  land,  nor  will  your  artillery  harm  them  nor 
your  defences  avail  against  them,  for  every  door  will 
fly  open  at  their  approach,  nor  may  your  valour  help, 
for  be  ye  never  so  stout-hearted,  when  the  Moonfolk 
come  vain  will  be  your  struggle  with  them.1'  These 
remarks  made  the  Bamboo-cutter  exceedingly  angry. 
He  asserted  that  his  nails  would  turn  into  talons — in 
short,  that  he  would  completely  annihilate  such  impudent 
visitors  from  the  moon. 

Now  while  the  royal  guard  was  stationed  about  the 
Bamboo-cutter's  house,  on  the  roof  and  in  every  direc- 
tion, the  night  wore  away.  At  the  hour  of  the  Rat 1  a  great 
glory,  exceeding  the  splendour  of  the  moon  and  stars, 

1  Midnight  until  two  in  the  morning.  "  Years,  days,  and  hours," 
writes  Professor  B.  H.  Chamberlain, "  were  all  accounted  as  belonging 
to  one  of  the  signs  of  the  zodiac." 


The  Moonfolk  demand  the  Lady  Kaguya. 


76 


THE  CELESTIAL  ROBE  OF  FEATHERS 

shone  around.  While  the  light  still  continued  a  strange 
cloud  approached,  bearing  upon  it  a  company  of  Moon- 
folk.  The  cloud  slowly  descended  until  it  came  near 
to  the  ground,  and  the  Moonfolk  assembled  themselves 
in  order.  When  the  royal  guard  perceived  them 
every  soldier  grew  afraid  at  the  strange  spectacle ;  but 
at  length  some  of  their  number  summoned  up  sufficient 
courage  to  bend  their  bows  and  send  their  arrows  flying  ; 
but  all  their  shafts  went  astray. 

On  the  cloud  there  rested  a  canopied  car,  resplendent 
with  curtains  of  finest  woollen  fabric,  and  from  out 
the  car  a  mighty  voice  sounded,  saying  :  "  Come  thou 
forth,  Miyakko  Maro  !  " 

The  Bamboo-cutter  tottered  forth  to  obey  the 
summons,  and  received  for  his  pains  an  address  from 
the  chief  of  the  Moonfolk  commencing  with,  "  Thou 
fool,"  and  ending  up  with  a  command  that  the  Lady 
Kaguya  should  be  given  up  without  further  delay. 

The  car  floated  upward  upon  the  cloud  till  it  hovered 
over  the  roof.  Once  again  the  same  mighty  voice 
shouted  :  "  Ho  there,  Kaguya  !  How  long  wouldst 
thou  tarry  in  this  sorry  place  ?" 

Immediately  the  outer  door  of  the  storehouse  and 
the  inner  lattice-work  were  opened  by  the  power  of 
the  Moonfolk,  and  revealed  the  Lady  Kaguya  and  her 
women  gathered  about  her. 

The  Lady  Kaguya,  before  taking  her  departure, 
greeted  the  prostrate  Bamboo-cutter  and  gave  him  a 
scroll  bearing  these  words  :  "  Had  I  been  born  in  this 
land,  never  should  I  have  quitted  it  until  the  time  came 
for  my  father  to  suffer  no  sorrow  for  his  child  ;  but 
now,  on  the  contrary,  must  I  pass  beyond  the  boundaries 
of  this  world,  though  sorely  against  my  will.  My  silken 
mantle  I  leave  behind  me  as  a  memorial,  and  when  the 
moon  lights  up  the  night  let  my  father  gaze  upon  it. 

77 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Now  my  eyes  must  take  their  last  look  and  I  must 
mount  to  yonder  sky,  whence  I  fain  would  fall,  meteor- 
wise,  to  earth." 

Now  the  Moonfolk  had  brought  with  them,  in  a 
coffer,  a  Celestial  Feather  Robe  and  a  few  drops  of  the 
Elixir  of  Life.  One  of  them  said  to  the  Lady  Kaguya  : 
"  Taste,  I  pray  you,  of  this  Elixir,  for  soiled  has  your 
spirit  become  with  the  grossnesses  of  this  filthy  world." 

The  Lady  Kaguya,  after  tasting  the  Elixir,  was  about 
to  wrap  up  some  in  the  mantle  she  was  leaving  behind  for 
the  benefit  of  the  old  Bamboo-cutter,  who  had  loved 
her  so  well,  when  one  of  the  Moonfolk  prevented  her, 
and  attempted  to  throw  over  her  shoulders  the  Celes- 
tial Robe,  when  the  Lady  Kaguya  exclaimed  :  "  Have 
patience  yet  awhile  ;  who  dons  yonder  robe  changes 
his  heart,  and  I  have  still  somewhat  to  say  ere  I  depart." 
Then  she  proceeded  to  write  the  following  to  the 
Mikado  : 

"Your  Majesty  deigned  to  send  a  host  to  protect 
your  servant,  but  it  was  not  to  be,  and  now  is  the 
misery  at  hand  of  departing  with  those  who  have  come 
to  bear  her  away  with  them.  Not  permitted  was  it  to 
her  to  serve  your  Majesty,  and  despite  her  will  was  it 
that  she  yielded  not  obedience  to  the  Royal  command, 
and  wrung  with  grief  is  her  heart  thereat,  and  perchance 
your  Majesty  may  have  thought  the  Royal  will  was 
not  understood,  and  was  opposed  by  her,  and  so  will 
she  appear  to  your  Majesty  lacking  in  good  manners, 
which  she  would  not  your  Majesty  deemed  her  to  be, 
and  therefore  humbly  she  lays  this  writing  at  the  Royal 
Feet.  And  now  must  she  don  the  Feather  Robe  and 
mournfully  bid  her  lord  farewell." 

Having  delivered  this  scroll  into  the  hands  of  the 
captain  of  the  host,  together  with  a  bamboo  joint  con- 


THE  CELESTIAL  ROBE  OF  FEATHERS 

taining  the  Elixir,  the  Feather  Robe  was  thrown  over 
her,  and  in  a  moment  all  memory  of  her  earthly 
existence  departed. 

Then  the  Lady  Kaguya  entered  the  car,  surrounded 
by  the  company  of  Moonfolk,  and  the  cloud  rapidly 
rose  skyward  till  it  was  lost  to  sight. 

The  sorrow  of  the  Bamboo-cutter  and  of  the  Mikado 
knew  no  bounds.  The  latter  held  a  Grand  Council, 
and  inquired  which  was  the  highest  mountain  in  the 
land.  One  of  the  councillors  answered  :  "  In  Suruga 
stands  a  mountain,  not  remote  from  the  capital,  that 
towers  highest  towards  heaven  among  all  the  mountains 
of  the  land."  Whereupon  his  Majesty  composed  the 
following  verse  : 

"  Never  more  to  see  her  ! 
Tears  of  grief  overwhelm  me, 
and  as  for  me, 
with  the  Elixir  of  Life 
what  have  I  to  do  ? " 

Then  the  scroll,  which  the  Lady  Kaguya  had  written, 
together  with  the  Elixir,  was  given  to  Tsuki  no  Iwakasa. 
These  he  was  commanded  to  take  to  the  summit  of  the 
highest  mountain  in  Suruga,  and,  standing  upon  the 
highest  peak,  to  burn  the  scroll  and  the  Elixir  of  Life. 

"  So  Tsuki  no  Iwakasa  heard  humbly  the  Royal 
command,  and  took  with  him  a  company  of  warriors, 
and  climbed  the  mountain  and  did  as  he  was  bidden. 
And  it  was  from  that  time  forth  that  the  name  of  Fuji 
(Fuji-yama^  'Never  Dying')  was  given  to  yonder 
mountain,  and  men  say  that  the  smoke  of  that  burning 
still  curls  from  its  high  peak  to  mingle  with  the  clouds 
of  heaven." 


79 


CHAPTER  IV  : BUDDHA  LEGENDS 

The  Legend  of  the  Golden  Lotus 

THE  following  legend  is  obviously  not  of  Japanese 
origin.  The  priests  of  Buddhism  in  Japan 
knew  that  the  success  of  their  religion  lay,  not 
in  sweeping  out  the  old  gods  of  Shinto,  but  in  adapting 
them  with  infinite  cleverness  to  the  needs  of  their  own 
teaching.  In  this  case  Japan  has  borrowed  from  India 
and  in  a  minor  degree  from  China,  if  we  may  look 
upon  the  dragon  as  originally  belonging  to  the  Celestial 
Kingdom.  We  have  followed  closely  Mr.  Edward 
Greey's  version,  and  insert  it  here  because  it  often 
enters  into  a  Nippon  priest's  discourse,  and  has  a  de- 
cidedly Japanese  setting.  We  might  duplicate  legends 
of  this  kind,  but  one  will  be  sufficient  for  our  purpose. 
The  other  two  legends  given  in  this  chapter  are  strictly 
Japanese. 

The  Lord  Buddha,  having  concluded  his  holy  medi- 
tations upon  Mount  Dan-doku,  slowly  walked  along 
a  rocky  pathway  on  his  way  to  the  city.  The  dark 
shadows  of  night  crept  over  the  country,  and  there  was 
profound  stillness  everywhere. 

On-  nearing  his  destination  the  Lord  Buddha  heard 
some  one  shout  :  " Shio-giyo  mu-jiyo  /"  ("The  outward 

manner  is  not  always  an  index  to  the  natural  disposi- 
•       f)\ 
tion.  ) 

The  Lord  Buddha  was  delighted  at  these  words,  and 
desired  to  learn  who  had  spoken  so  wisely.  Over  and 
over  again  he  heard  the  same  words,  and,  drawing  to 
the  edge  of  a  precipice,  he  looked  down  into  the  valley 
beneath,  and  perceived  an  extremely  ugly  dragon  gazing 
up  at  him  with  angry  eyes. 

The  Holy  One  then  seated  himself  upon  a  rock,  and 
inquired  of  the  dragon  how  he  had  come  to  learn  one 
80 


Buddha  and  the  Dragon. 


80 


THE  LEGEND  OF  THE  GOLDEN  LOTUS 

of  the  highest  mysteries  of  Buddhism.  Such  profound 
wisdom  suggested  a  store  of  spiritual  truths  yet  to  be 
revealed,  and  the  Lord  Buddha,  therefore,  requested 
that  the  dragon  should  give  utterance  to  other  wise 
sayings. 

Then  the  dragon,  having  coiled  himself  round  the 
rock,  shouted  with  a  great  voice  :  "  Ze-shio  metsu-po  /  " 
("All  living  things  are  antagonistic  to  the  law  of 
Buddha ! ") 

After  uttering  these  words  the  dragon  was  silent  for 
some  time.  Then  the  Lord  Buddha  begged  to  hear 
yet  another  sentence. 

"  Shio-metsu  metsu-i  I  "  ("  All  living  things  must  die  !  ") 
shouted  the  dragon. 

At  these  words  the  dragon  looked  up  at  the  Lord 
Buddha,  and  upon  his  dreadful  countenance  there  was 
an  expression  of  extreme  hunger. 

The  dragon  then  informed  the  Lord  Buddha  that  the 
next  truth  was  the  last,  and  so  precious  that  he  could 
not  reveal  it  until  his  hunger  had  been  appeased. 

At  this  the  Holy  One  remarked  that  he  would  deny 
the  dragon  nothing  so  long  as  he  heard  the  fourth  truth 
revealed,  and  inquired  of  the  dragon  what  he  demanded. 
When  the  Lord  Buddha  heard  that  human  flesh  was  what 
the  dragon  required  in  exchange  for  his  last  precious 
fragment  of  wisdom,  the  Master  informed  the  dragon 
that  his  religion  forbade  the  destruction  of  life,  but 
that  he  would,  for  the  welfare  of  his  people,  sacrifice 
his  own  body. 

The  dragon  opened  his  great  mouth  and  said  :  "  Jaku- 
metsu  I-raku  !  "  ("  The  greatest  happiness  is  experienced 
after  the  soul  has  left  the  body !  ") 

The  Lord  Buddha  bowed,  and  then  sprang  into  the 
gaping  mouth  of  the  dragon. 

No  sooner  had  the  Holy  One  touched  the  jaws  of 

F  8l 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

the  monster  than  they  suddenly  divided  into  eight 
parts,  and  in  a  moment  changed  into  the  eight  petals 
of  the  Golden  Lotus. 

The  Bronze  Buddha  of  Kamakura  and  the  Whale1 

"  Above  the  old  songs  turned  to  ashes  and  pain, 
Under  which  Death  enshrouds  the  idols  and  trees  with  mist  of  sigh, 
(Where  are  Kamakura's  rising  days  and  life  of  old  ?) 
With  heart  heightened  to  hush,  the  Daibutsu  forever  sits." 

Tone  Noguchi. 

The  great  bronze  Buddha  of  Kamakura,  or  the 
Daibutsu,  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
sights  in  Japan.  At  one  time  Kamakura  was  the  capital 
of  Nippon.  It  was  a  great  city  of  nearly  a  million  in- 
habitants, and  was  the  seat  of  the  Shoguns  and  of  the 
Regents  of  the  Hojo  family  during  the  troublous 
period  of  the  Middle  Ages.  But  Kamakura,  for  all  its 
devout  worshippers  of  the  Lord  Buddha,  was  destroyed 
by  storm  on  two  occasions,  until  it  finally  lost  its  im- 
portance. To-day  rice-fields  and  woods  are  to  be  seen 
in  place  of  the  glory  of  old.  Storm  and  fire,  however, 
have  left  untouched  the  temple  of  Hachiman  (the  God 
of  War)  and  the  bronze  image  of  Buddha.  At  one 
time  this  gigantic  figure  reposed  in  a  temple,  but  now 
it  stands  high  above  the  trees,  with  an  inscrutable  smile 
upon  its  great  face,  with  eyes  full  of  a  peace  that  cannot 
be  shaken  by  the  petty  storms  of  the  world. 

Legend  is  nearly  always  elemental.  Divinities, 
irrespective  of  their  austerity,  are  brought  down  to  a 
very  human  level.  It  is  a  far  cry  from  the  complex 
teaching  of  the  Lord  Buddha  to  the  story  of  Amida 
Butsu  and  the  whale.  One  can  trace  in  the  following 
legend  an  almost  pathetic  desire  to  veil  the  greatness  of 
Buddha.  The  gigantic  size  of  the  Daibutsu  is  not 

1  Adapted  from  Fairy  Tales  of  Old  Japan,  by  W.  E.  Griffis. 
82 


THE  BRONZE  BUDDHA  AND  THE  WHALE 

really  in  keeping  with  that  curious  love  of  little  things 
which  is  so  characteristic  of  the  Japanese  people.  There 
is  a  playful  irony  in  this  story,  a  desire  to  take  down 
the  great  Teacher  a  peg  or  two — if  only  to  take  him 
down  in  stature  a  paltry  two  inches  ! 

So  many  things  appear  to  us  to  be  done  in  a  topsy- 
turvy way  in  Japan  that  we  are  not  surprised  to  find  that 
in  measuring  metal  and  soft  goods  the  feet  on  the  yard- 
stick are  not  alike.  For  soft  goods  a  whale  measure  is 
used,  for  any  hard  material  a  metal  foot.  There  are 
two  inches  of  difference  in  these  measures,  and  the 
following  legend  may  possibly  give  us  the  reason  for 
this  apparently  rather  confusing  discrepancy. 

The  Bronze  Buddha,  in  its  sitting  posture,  is  fifty 
feet  high,  ninety-seven  feet  in  circumference,  the  length 
of  its  face  eight  feet,  and  as  for  its  thumbs  they  are  three 
feet  round.  It  is  probably  the  tallest  piece  of  bronze 
in  the  world.  Such  an  enormous  image  naturally 
created  a  considerable  sensation  in  the  days  when 
Kamakura  was  a  flourishing  city,  laid  out  by  the  great 
General  Yoritomo.  The  roads  in  and  about  the  city 
were  densely  packed  with  pilgrims,  anxious  to  gaze  upon 
the  latest  marvel,  and  all  agreed  that  this  bronze  image 
was  the  biggest  thing  in  the  world. 

Now  it  may  be  that  certain  sailors  who  had  seen 
this  marvel  chatted  about  it  as  they  plied  their  nets. 
Whether  this  was  so  or  not,  a  mighty  whale,  who  lived 
in  the  Northern  Sea,  happened  to  hear  about  the  Bronze 
Buddha  of  Kamakura,  and  as  he  regarded  himself  as  being 
far  bigger  than  anything  on  land,  the  idea  of  a  possible 
rival  did  not  meet  with  his  approval.  He  deemed  it 
impossible  that  little  men  could  construct  anything  that 
could  vie  with  his  enormous  bulk,  and  laughed  heartily 
at  the  very  absurdity  of  such  a  conception. 

His  laughter,  however,  did  not  last  long.  He  was 

83 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

inordinately  jealous,  and  when  he  heard  about  the 
numerous  pilgrimages  to  Kamakura  and  the  incessant 
praise  evoked  from  those  who  had  seen  the  image  he 
grew  exceedingly  angry,  lashed  the  sea  into  foam,  and 
blew  down  his  nose  with  so  much  violence  that  the 
other  creatures  of  the  deep  gave  him  a  very  wide  berth. 
His  loneliness  only  aggravated  his  trouble,  and  he  was 
unable  to  eat  or  sleep,  and  in  consequence  grew  thin. 
He  at  last  decided  to  chat  the  matter  over  with  a  kindly 
shark. 

The  shark  answered  the  whale's  heated  questions  with 
quiet  solicitude,  and  consented  to  go  to  the  Southern 
Sea  in  order  that  he  might  take  the  measurement  of 
the  image,  and  bring  back  the  result  of  his  labour  to 
his  agitated  friend. 

The  shark  set  off  upon  his  journey,  until  he  came  to 
the  shore,  where  he  could  see  the  image  towering  above 
him,  about  half  a  mile  inland.  As  he  could  not  walk 
on  dry  land  he  was  about  to  renounce  his  quest,  when 
he  had  the  good  fortune  to  discover  a  rat  enjoying  a 
scamper  along  a  junk.  He  explained  his  mission  to 
the  rat,  and  requested  that  much-flattered  little  creature 
to  take  the  measurement  of  the  Bronze  Buddha. 

So  the  rat  climbed  down  the  junk,  swam  ashore,  and 
entered  the  dark  temple  where  the  Great  Buddha  stood. 
At  first  he  was  so  overcome  by  the  magnificence  he  saw 
about  him  that  he  was  uncertain  as  to  how  to  proceed 
in  carrying  out  the  shark's  request.  He  eventually 
decided  to  walk  round  the  image,  counting  his  foot- 
steps as  he  went.  He  discovered  after  he  had  per- 
formed this  task  that  he  had  walked  exactly  five 
thousand  paces,  and  on  his  return  to  the  junk  he  told 
the  shark  the  measurement  of  the  base  of  the  Bronze 
Buddha. 

The  shark,  with  profuse  thanks  to  the  rat,  returned 
84 


THE  BRONZE  BUDDHA  AND  THE  WHALE 

to  the  Northern  Sea,  and  informed  the  whale  that  the 
reports  concerning  the  size  of  this  exasperating  image 
were  only  too  true. 

"  A  little  knowledge  is  a  dangerous  thing  "  evidently 
applies  equally  well  to  whales,  for  the  whale  of  this 
legend,  after  receiving  the  information,  grew  more 
furious  than  ever.  As  in  a  story  familiar  to  English 
children,  he  put  on  magic  boots  in  order  to  travel  on 
land  as  well  as  he  had  always  done  in  the  sea. 

The  whale  reached  the  Kamakura  temple  at  night. 
He  discovered  that  the  priests  had  gone  to  bed,  and 
were  apparently  fast  asleep.  He  knocked  at  the  door. 
Instead  of  the  dismal  murmur  of  a  half-awake  priest  he 
heard  the  Lord  Buddha  say,  in  a  voice  that  rang  like 
the  sound  of  a  great  bell  :  "  Come  in  !  " 

c<  I  cannot,"  replied  the  whale, cc  because  I  am  too  big. 
Will  you  please  come  out  and  see  me  ? " 

When  Buddha  found  out  who  his  visitor  was,  and 
what  he  wanted  at  so  unearthly  an  hour,  he  con- 
descendingly stepped  down  from  his  pedestal  and  came 
outside  the  temple.  There  was  utter  amazement  on 
both  sides.  Had  the  whale  possessed  knees  they  would 
assuredly  have  knocked  together.  He  knocked  his 
head  on  the  ground  instead.  For  his  part,  Buddha 
was  surprised  to  find  a  creature  of  such  gigantic 
proportions. 

We  can  imagine  the  consternation  of  the  chief  priest 
when  he  found  that  the  pedestal  did  not  bear  the  image 
of  his  Master.  Hearing  a  strange  conversation  going 
on  outside  the  temple,  he  went  out  to  see  what  was 
taking  place.  The  much-frightened  priest  was  invited 
to  join  in  the  discussion,  and  was  requested  to  take  the 
measurement  of  the  image  and  the  whale,  and  ac- 
cordingly began  to  measure  with  his  rosary.  During 
this  proceeding  the  image  and  the  whale  awaited  the 

85 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

result  with  bated  breath.  When  the  measurements 
had  been  taken  the  whale  was  found  to  be  two  inches 
longer  and  taller  than  the  image. 

The  whale  went  back  to  the  Northern  Sea  more  utterly 
vain  than  ever,  while  the  image  returned  to  its  temple 
and  sat  down  again,  and  there  it  has  remained  to  this 
day,  none  the  worse,  perhaps,  for  finding  that  it  was  not 
quite  so  big  as  it  imagined.  Dealers  in  dry  goods  and 
dealers  in  wood  and  iron  agreed  from  that  day  to  this 
to  differ  as  to  what  was  a  foot — and  the  difference  was 
a  matter  of  two  inches. 

The  Crystal  of  Buddha1 

In  ancient  days  there  lived  in  Japan  a  great  State 
Minister  named  Kamatari.  Now  Kamatari's  only 
daughter,  Kohaku  Jo,  was  extremely  beautiful,  and  as 
good  as  she  was  beautiful.  She  was  the  delight  of  her 
father's  heart,  and  he  resolved  that,  if  she  married,  no 
one  of  less  account  than  a  king  should  be  her  husband. 
With  this  idea  continually  in  his  mind,  he  steadfastly 
refused  the  offers  for  her  hand. 

One  day  there  was  a  great  tumult  in  the  palace 
courtyard.  Through  the  open  gates  streamed  a  number 
of  men  bearing  a  banner  on  which  was  worked  a  silken 
dragon  on  a  yellow  background.  Kamatari  learnt  that 
these  men  had  come  from  the  court  of  China  with  a 
message  from  the  Emperor  Koso.  The  Emperor  had 
heard  of  the  exceeding  beauty  and  exquisite  charm  of 
Kohaku  Jo,  and  desired  to  marry  her.  As  is  usual  in 
the  East  on  such  occasions,  the  Emperor's  offer  was 
accompanied  with  the  promise  that  if  Kohaku  Jo  should 
become  his  bride  he  would  allow  her  to  choose  from 
his  store  of  treasures  whatever  she  liked  to  send  to  her 
own  country. 

1  Adapted  from  BuddhJs  Crystal,  by  Madame  Yei  Ozaki. 
86 


THE  CRYSTAL  OF  BUDDHA 

After  Kamatari  had  received  the  envoys  with  due 
pomp  and  ceremony,  and  put  at  their  disposal  a  whole 
wing  of  the  palace,  he  returned  to  his  own  room  and 
bade  his  servant  bring  his  daughter  into  his  presence. 

When  Kohaku  had  entered  her  father's  room  she 
bowed  before  him  and  sat  patiently  on  the  white  mats 
waiting  for  her  august  parent  to  speak  to  her. 

Kamatari  told  her  that  he  had  chosen  the  Emperor 
of  China  to  be  her  husband,  and  the  little  maid  wept 
on  hearing  the  news.  She  had  been  so  happy  in  her 
own  home,  and  China  seemed  such  a  long  way  off. 
When,  however,  her  father  foretold  more  happiness  in 
the  future  than  she  had  ever  had  in  the  past,  she  dried 
her  eyes  and  listened  to  her  parent's  words,  a  little 
amazed  to  hear,  perhaps,  that  all  China's  treasures  were 
to  be  laid  at  her  own  small  feet.  She  was  glad  when 
her  father  told  her  that  she  would  be  able  to  send  three 
of  these  treasures  to  the  temple  of  Kofukuji,  where  she 
had  received  a  blessing  when  a  little  babe. 

So  Kohaku  obeyed  her  father  with  not  a  little  mis- 
giving, not  a  little  heartache.  Her  girl  companions 
wept  when  they  heard  the  news,  but  they  were  com- 
forted when  Kohaku's  mother  told  them  that  some 
of  their  number  would  be  chosen  to  go  with  their 
mistress. 

Before  Kohaku  sailed  for  China  she  wended  her 
way  to  the  beloved  temple  of  Kofukuji,  and,  arriving 
at  the  sacred  shrine,  she  prayed  for  protection  in  her 
journey,  vowing  that  if  her  prayers  were  answered  she 
would  search  China  for  its  three  most  precious  treasures, 
and  send  them  to  the  temple  as  a  thank-offering. 

Kohaku  reached  China  in  safety  and  was  received 
by  the  Emperor  Koso  with  great  magnificence.  Her 
childish  fears  were  soon  dispelled  by  the  Emperor's 
kindness.  Indeed,  he  showed  her  considerably  more 

87 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

than  kindness.  He  spoke  to  her  in  the  language  of  a 
lover  :  "  After  long,  long  days  of  weary  waiting  I  have 
gathered  the  c  azalea  of  the  distant  mountain,'  and  now 
I  plant  it  in  my  garden,  and  great  is  the  gladness  of  my 
heart  1  " l 

The  Emperor  Koso  led  her  from  palace  to  palace,  and 
she  knew  not  which  was  the  most  beautiful,  but  her 
royal  husband  was  aware  that  she  was  far  more  lovely 
than  any  of  them.  Because  of  her  great  loveliness  he 
desired  that  it  should  be  ever  remembered  throughout 
the  length  and  breadth  of  China,  even  beyond  the 
bounds  of  his  kingdom.  "  So  he  called  together  his 
goldsmiths  and  gardeners,"  as  Madame  Ozaki  writes 
in  describing  this  story,  "and  commanded  them  to 
fashion  a  path  for  the  Empress  such  as  had  never  been 
heard  of  in  the  wide  world.  The  stepping-stones  of 
this  path  were  to  be  lotus-flowers,  carved  out  of  silver 
and  gold,  for  her  to  walk  on  whenever  she  strolled 
forth  under  the  trees  or  by  the  lake,  so  that  it  might 
be  said  that  her  beautiful  feet  were  never  soiled  by 
touching  the  earth  ;  and  ever  since  then,  in  China  and 
Japan,  poet-lovers  and  lover-poets  in  song  and  sonnet 
and  sweet  conversation  have  called  the  feet  of  the 
women  they  love  c lotus  feet.'* 

But  in  spite  of  all  the  magnificence  that  surrounded 
Kohaku  she  did  not  forget  her  native  land  or  the  vow 
she  had  made  in  the  temple  of  Kofukuji.  One  day 
she  timidly  informed  the  Emperor  of  her  promise, 
and  he,  only  too  glad  to  have  another  opportunity  of 
pleasing  her,  set  before  her  such  a  store  of  beautiful  and 
precious  things  that  it  seemed  as  if  an  exquisite  phantom 
world  of  gay  colour  and  perfect  form  had  suddenly 
come  into  being  at  her  very  feet.  There  was  such  a 
wealth  of  beautiful  things  that  she  found  it  very 
1  Madame  Ozaki. 


THE  CRYSTAL  OF  BUDDHA 

difficult  to  make  a  choice.  She  finally  decided  upon 
the  following  magical  treasures  :  a  musical  instrument, 
which  if  one  struck  would  continue  to  play  for  ever, 
an  ink-stone  box,  which,  on  opening  the  lid,  was  found 
to  contain  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  Indian  ink,  and, 
last  of  all,  "  a  beautiful  Crystal,  in  whose  clear  depths 
was  to  be  seen,  from  whichever  side  you  looked,  an 
image  of  Buddha  riding  on  a  white  elephant.  The 
jewel  was  of  transcendent  glory  and  shone  like  a  star, 
and  whoever  gazed  into  its  liquid  depths  and  saw 
the  blessed  vision  of  Buddha  had  peace  of  heart  for 


evermore."  l 


After  Kohaku  had  gazed  for  some  time  upon  these 
treasures  she  sent  for  Admiral  Banko  and  bade  him 
safely  convey  them  to  the  temple  of  Kofukuji. 

Everything  went  well  with  Admiral  Banko  and  his 
ship  until  they  were  in  Japanese  waters,  sailing  into 
the  Bay  of  Shido-no-ura,  when  a  mighty  tempest 
whirled  the  vessel  hither  and  thither.  The  waves  rolled 
up  with  the  fierceness  of  wild  beasts,  and  lightning 
continually  blazed  across  the  sky,  to  light  up  for  a 
moment  a  rolling  ship,  now  flung  high  upon  a  mountain 
of  water,  aow  swept  into  a  green  valley  from  which  it 
seemed  it  could  never  rise  again. 

Suddenly  the  storm  abated  with  the  same  unex- 
pectedness with  which  it  had  arisen.  Some  fairy  hand 
had  brushed  up  all  the  clouds  and  laid  a  blue  and 
sparkling  carpet  across  the  sea.  The  admiral's  first 
thought  was  for  the  safety  of  the  treasures  entrusted  to 
him,  and  on  going  below  he  discovered  the  musical 
instrument  and  ink-stone  box  just  as  he  had  left  them, 
but  that  the  most  precious  of  the  treasures,  Buddha's 
Crystal,  was  missing.  He  contemplated  taking  his 
life,  so  grieved  was  he  at  the  loss ;  but  on  reflection  he 
1  Madame  Ozaki. 

89 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

saw  that  it  would  be  wiser  to  live  so  long  as  there 
was  anything  he  could  do  to  find  the  jewel.  He 
accordingly  hastened  to  land,  and  informed  Kamatari 
of  his  dreadful  misfortune. 

No  sooner  had  Kamatari  been  told  about  the  loss  of 
Buddha's  Crystal  than  this  wise  minister  perceived  that 
the  Dragon  King  of  the  Sea  had  stolen  it,  and  for  that 
purpose  had  caused  the  storm,  which  had  enabled  him 
to  steal  the  treasure  unperceived. 

Kamatari  offered  a  large  reward  to  a  number  of 
fishermen  he  saw  upon  the  shore  of  Shido-no-ura  if 
any  of  their  number  would  venture  into  the  sea  and 
bring  back  the  Crystal.  All  the  fishermen  volunteered, 
but  after  many  attempts  the  precious  jewel  still  remained 
in  the  keeping  of  the  Sea  King. 

Kamatari,  much  distressed,  suddenly  became  aware 
of  a  poor  woman  carrying  an  infant  in  her  arms.  She 
begged  the  great  minister  that  she  might  enter  the  sea 
and  search  for  the  Crystal,  and  in  spite  of  her  frailty  she 
spoke  with  conviction.  Her  mother-heart  seemed  to 
lend  her  courage.  She  made  her  request  because,  if  she 
succeeded  in  bringing  back  the  Crystal,  she  desired  that 
as  a  reward  Kamatari  should  bring  up  her  Jittle  son  as 
a  samurai  in  order  that  he  might  be  something  in  life 
other  than  a  humble  fisherman. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Kamatari  in  his  day  had 
been  ambitious  for  his  daughter's  welfare.  He  readily 
understood  the  poor  woman's  request,  and  solemnly 
promised  that  if  she  carried  out  her  part  faithfully  he 
would  gladly  do  his. 

The  woman  withdrew,  and  taking  off  her  upper 
garments,  and  tying  a  rope  round  her  waist,  into  which 
she  stuck  a  knife,  she  was  prepared  for  her  perilous 
journey.  Giving  the  end  of  the  rope  to  a  number  of 
fishermen,  she  plunged  into  the  water. 
90 


THE  CRYSTAL  OF  BUDDHA 

At  first  the  woman  saw  the  dim  outline  of  rocks,  the 
dart  of  a  frightened  fish,  and  the  faint  gold  of  the  sand 
beneath  her.  Then  she  suddenly  became  aware  of  the 
roofs  of  the  palace  of  the  Sea  King,  a  great  and  gorgeous 
building  of  coral,  relieved  here  and  there  with  clusters 
of  many-coloured  seaweed.  The  palace  was  like  a  huge 
pagoda,  rising  tier  upon  tier.  The  woman  swam  nearer 
in  order  to  inspect  it  more  closely,  and  she  perceived  a 
bright  light,  more  brilliant  than  the  light  of  many  moons, 
so  bright  that  it  dazzled  her  eyes.  It  was  the  light  of 
Buddha's  Crystal,  placed  on  the  pinnacle  of  this  vast 
abode,  and  on  every  side  of  the  shining  jewel  were 
guardian  dragons  fast  asleep,  appearing  to  watch  even 
in  their  slumber ! 

Up  swam  the  woman,  praying  in  her  brave  heart  that 
the  dragons  might  sleep  till  she  was  out  of  harm's  way 
and  in  possession  of  the  treasure.  No  sooner  had  she 
snatched  the  Crystal  from  its  resting-place  than  the 
guardians  awoke  ;  their  great  claws  extended  and  their 
tails  furiously  lashed  the  water,  and  in  another  moment 
they  were  in  hot  pursuit.  -4 Rather  than  lose  the  Crystal, 
which  she  had  won  at  so  much  peril,  the  woman  cut  a 
wound  in  her  left  breast  and  forced  the  jewel  into  the 
bleeding  cavity,  pressing  her  hand,  without  a  murmur 
of  pain,  upon  the  poor  torn  flesh.  When  the  dragons 
perceived  that  the  water  was  murky  with  the  woman's 
blood  they  turned  back,  for  sea-dragons  are  afraid  of 
the  very  sight  of  blood. 

Now  the  woman  sharply  pulled  the  rope,  and  the 
fishermen,  sitting  upon  the  rocks  far  above,  drew  her  to 
land  with  ever-quickening  speed.  They  gently  laid  her 
upon  the  shore,  and  found  that  her  eyes  were  closed 
and  her  breast  bleeding  profusely.  Kamatari  at  first 
thought  that  the  woman  had  risked  her  life  in  vain  ;  but 
bending  over  her  he  noticed  the  wound  in  her  breast. 

9' 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

At  that  moment  she  opened  her  eyes,  and,  taking  the 
jewel  from  its  place  of  concealment,  she  murmured  a 
few  words  about  Kamatari's  promise,  then  fell  back  dead 
with  a  smile  of  peace  upon  her  face. 

Kamatari  took  the  woman's  child  home  and  looked 
after  him  with  all  the  loving  care  of  a  father.  In  due 
time  the  boy  grew  to  manhood  and  became  a  brave 
samurai,  and  at  Kamatari's  death  he,  too,  became  a  great 
State  minister.  When  in  later  years  he  learnt  the 
story  of  his  mother's  act  of  self-sacrifice  he  built  a 
temple  in  the  Bay  of  Shido-no-ura,  in  memory  of  one 
who  was  so  brave  and  true.  It  is  called  Shidoji,  and 
pilgrims  visit  this  temple  and  remember  the  nobility  of 
a  poor  shell-gatherer  to  this  day. 


92 


CHAPTER  V  :  FOX  LEGENDS 

Inari,  the  Fox  God 

THE  fox  takes  an  important  place  in  Japanese 
legend,  and  the  subject  is  of  a  far-reaching  and 
complex  kind.1  Inari  was  originally  the  God 
of  Rice,  but  in  the  eleventh  century  he  became  associated 
with  the  Fox  God,  with  attributes  for  good  and  evil, 
mostly  for  evil,  so  profuse  and  so  manifold  in  their 
application  that  they  cause  no  little  confusion  to  the 
English  reader.  All  foxes  possess  supernatural  powers 
to  an  almost  limitless  degree.  They  have  the  power 
of  infinite  vision  ;  they  can  hear  everything  and  under- 
stand the  secret  thoughts  of  mankind  generally,  and  in 
addition  they  possess  the  power  of  transformation  and  of 
transmutation.  The  chief  attribute  of  the  bad  fox  is 
the  power  to  delude  human  beings,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose it  will  take  the  form  of  a  beautiful  woman,  and 
many  are  the  legends  told  in  this  connection.2  If  the 
shadow  of  a  fox-woman  chance  to  fall  upon  water,  only 
the  fox,  and  not  the  fair  woman,  is  revealed.  It 
is  said  that  if  a  dog  sees  a  fox-woman  the  femi- 
nine form  vanishes  immediately,  and  the  fox  alone 
remains. 

Though  the  legends  connected  with  the  fox  in  Japan 
are  usually  associated  with  evil,  Inari  sometimes  poses 
as  a  beneficent  being,  a  being  who  can  cure  coughs  and 
colds,  bring  wealth  to  the  needy,  and  answer  a  woman's 
prayer  for  a  child.  Another  kindly  act  on  the  part  of 

1  The  strange    supernatural  powers  of  the    fox    do    not    belong 
exclusively  to  Japan.     Numerous  examples  of  this  animal's  magical 
attainments  may  be  found  in  Chinese  legend.     See    Strange  Ta/es 
fro-n  a  Chinese  Studio,  by  Professor  H.  A.  Giles. 

2  See  my  Land  of  the   Yellow  Spring,  and  other  Japanese  Stories, 
p.  113. 

93 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Inari,  which  we  might  well  have  associated  with  Jizo, 
is  to  enable  little  boys  and  girls  to  bear  with  fortitude 
the  troublesome  performance  of  being  shaved  with  a 
none  too  perfect  razor,  and  also  to  help  the  little  ones 
to  go  through  the  painful  process  of  a  hot  bath,  never 
less  in  Japan  than  1 10°  F.  ! 

Inari  not  infrequently  rewards  human  beings  for  any 
act  of  kindness  to  a  fox.     Only  a  part  of  his  reward, 
however,  is  real ;  at  least  one  tempting  coin  is  bound  to 
:urn  very  quickly  into  grass  !     The  little  good  done 
>y  Inari — and  we  have  tried  to  do  him  justice — is  alto- 
gether  weighed    down    by  his  countless  evil  actions, 
>ften  of  an  extremely  cruel  nature,  as  will  be  seen  later 
on.     The  subject  of  the  fox  in  Japan  has  been  aptly 
described  by  Lafcadio   Hearn   as  "ghostly  zoology," 
and   this    cunning   and   malignant   animal  is  certainly 
ghostly  with  a  completeness  far  more  horribly  subtle 
than  our  own  stock-in-trade  ghost  with  luminous  garment 
and  clanking  chain  ! 

Demoniacal  Possession 

Demoniacal  possession  is  frequently  said  to  be  due 
kto  the  evil  influence  of  foxes.  This  form  of  possession 
is  known  as  kitsune-tsuki.  The  sufferer  is  usually  a 
woman  of  the  poorer  classes,  one  who  is  highly  sensitive 
and  open  to  believe  in  all  manner  of  superstitions.  The 
question  of  demoniacal  possession  is  still  an  unsolved 
problem,  and  the  studies  of  Dr.  Baelz,  of  the  Imperial 
University  of  Japan,  seem  to  point  to  the  fact  that  animal 
possession  in  human  beings  is  a  very  real  and  terrible  truth 
after  all.1  He  remarks  that  a  fox  usually  enters  a  woman 
either  through  the  breast  or  between  the  finger-nails,  and 
that  the  fox  lives  a  separate  life  of  its  own,  frequently 
speaking  in  a  voice  totally  different  from  the  human. 

1  See  Pastor  Sh:9  one  of  China's  Questions,  by  Mrs.  Taylor. 
94 


THE  DEATH^STONE 

The  Death-Stone1 

"  The  Death-Stone  stands  on  Nasu's  moor 
Through  winter  snows  and  summer  heat  ; 
The  moss  grows  grey  upon  its  sides, 
But  the  foul  demon  haunts  it  yet. 

"  Chill  blows  the  blast  :  the  owl's  sad  choir 
Hoots  hoarsely  through  the  moaning  pines  ; 
Among  the  low  chrysanthemums 
The  skulking  fox,  the  jackal  whines, 
As  o'er  the  moor  the  autumn  light  declines." 

Translated  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

The  Buddhist  priest  Genno,  after  much  weary  travel, 
came  to  the  moor  of  Nasu,  and  was  about  to  rest  under 
the  shadow  of  a  great  stone,  when  a  spirit  suddenly- 
appeared,  and  said  :  "  Rest  not  under  this  stone.  This 
is  the  Death-Stone.  Men,  birds,  and  beasts  have 
perished  by  merely  touching  it !  " 

These  mysterious  and  warning  remarks  naturally 
awakened  Genno's  curiosity,  and  he  begged  that  the  spirit 
would  favour  him  with  the  story  of  the  Death-Stone. 

Thus  the  spirit  began  :  "  Long  ago  there  was  a  fair 
girl  living  at  the  Japanese  Court.  She  was  so  charming 
that  she  was  called  the  Jewel  Maiden.  Her  wisdom 
equalled  her  beauty,  for  she  understood  Buddhist  lore 
and  the  Confucian  classics,  science,  and  the  poetry  of 
China." 

"  So  sweetly  decked  by  nature  and  by  art, 
The  monarch's  self  soon  clasp'd  her  to  his  heart." 

Translated  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

"One  night,"  went  on  the  spirit,  "the  Mikado  gave 

i  "  The  Death-Stone  "  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  remarkable  of 
fox  legends.  It  illustrates  a  malignant  fox  taking  the  form  of  a 
seductive  woman  in  more  than  one  life.  She  is  a  coming  and 
vanishing  creature  of  alluring  but  destructive  power,  a  sort  of 
Japanese  version  of  Fata  Morgana.  The  legend  has  been  adapted  from 
a  No,  or  lyrical  drama,  translated  by  Professor  B.  H.  Chamberlain. 

95 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

a  great  feast  in  the  Summer  Palace,  and  there  he 
assembled  the  wit,  wisdom,  and  beauty  of  the  land.  It 
was  a  brilliant  gathering ;  but  while  the  company  ate 
and  drank,  accompanied  by  the  strains  of  sweet  music, 
darkness  crept  over  the  great  apartment.  Black  clouds 
raced  across  the  sky,  and  there  was  not  a  star  to  be  seen. 
While  the  guests  sat  rigid  with  fear  a  mysterious  wind 
arose.  It  howled  through  the  Summer  Palace  and 
blew  out  all  the  lanterns.  The  complete  darkness  pro- 
duced a  state  of  panic,  and  during  the  uproar  some  one 
cried  out,  c  A  light !  A  light ! ' 

"  And  lo  !  from  out  the  Jewel  Maiden's  frame 
There's  seen  to  dart  a  weirdly  lustrous  flame  ! 
It  grows,  it  spreads,  it  fills  th'  imperial  halls ; 
The  painted  screens,  the  costly  panell'd  walls, 
Erst  the  pale  viewless  damask  of  the  night 
Sparkling  stand  forth  as  in  the  moon's  full  light." 

Translated  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

"From  that  very  hour  the  Mikado  sickened,' *  con- 
tinued the  spirit.  "He  grew  so  ill  that  the  Court 
Magician  was  sent  for,  and  this  worthy  soul  speedily 
ascertained  the  cause  of  his  Majesty's  decline.  He 
stated,  with  much  warmth  of  language,  that  the  Jewel 
Maiden  was  a  harlot  and  a  fiend,  c  who,  with  insidious 
art,  the  State  to  ravage,  captivates  thy  heart ! ' 

"  The  Magician's  words  turned  the  Mikado's  heart 
against  the  Jewel  Maiden.  When  this  sorceress  was 
spurned  she  resumed  her  original  shape,  that  of  a  fox, 
and  ran  away  to  this  very  stone  on  Nasu  moor." 

The  priest  looked  at  the  spirit  critically.  "  Who  are 
you  ? "  he  said  at  length. 

"  I  am  the  demon  that  once  dwelt  in  the  breast  of 
the  Jewel  Maiden  1  Now  I  inhabit  the  Death-Stone  for 
evermore  ! " 

The  good  Genno  was  much  horrified  by  this  dreadful 


The  Mikado  and  the  Jewel  Maiden. 


96 


THE  DEATH-STONE 

confession,  but,  remembering  his  duty  as  a  priest,  he 
said  :  "  Though  you  have  sunk  low  in  wickedness,  you 
shall  rise  to  virtue  again.     Take  this  priestly  robe  and 
begging-bowl,  and  reveal  to  me  your  fox  form." 
Then  this  wicked  spirit  cried  pitifully  : 

"  In  the  garish  light  of  day 
I  hide  myself  away, 
Like  pale  Asama's  fires  : 
With  the  night  I'll  come  again, 
Confess  my  guilt  with  pain 
And  new-born  pure  desires." 

Translated  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

With  these  words  the  spirit  suddenly  vanished. 

Genno  did  not  relinquish  his  good  intentions.  He 
strove  more  ardently  than  ever  for  this  erring  soul's 
salvation.  In  order  that  she  might  attain  Nirvana,  he 
offered  flowers,  burnt  incense,  and  recited  the  sacred 
Scriptures  in  front  of  the  stone. 

When  Genno  had  performed  these  religious  duties, 
he  said  :  "  Spirit  of  the  Death-Stone,  I  conjure  thee  ! 
what  was  it  in  a  former  world  that  did  cause  thee  to 
assume  in  this  so  foul  a  shape  ?" 

Suddenly  the  Death-Stone  was  rent  and  the  spirit 
once  more  appeared,  crying  : 

"  In  stones  there  are  spirits, 
In  the  waters  is  a  voice  heard  : 
The  winds  sweep  across  the  firmament  !  " 

Translated  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

Genno  saw  a  lurid  glare  about  him  and,  in  the 
shining  light,  a  fox  that  suddenly  turned  into  a  beautiful 
maiden. 

Thus  spoke  the  spirit  of  the  Death-Stone  :  "  I  am 
she  who  first,  in  Ind,  was  the  demon  to  whom  Prince 
Hazoku  paid  homage.  ...  In  Great  Cathay  I  took  the 
form  of  Hoji,  consort  of  the  Emperor  luwao  ;  and  at 

c  97 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

the  Court  of  the  Rising  Sun  I  became  the  Flawless 
Jewel  Maiden,  concubine  to  the  Emperor  Toba." 

The  spirit  confessed  to  Genno  that  in  the  form  of  the 
Jewel  Maiden  she  had  desired  to  bring  destruction  to 
the  Imperial  line.  "Already,"  said  the  spirit,  "I  was 
making  my  plans,  already  I  was  gloating  over  the 
thought  of  the  Mikado's  death,  and  had  it  not  been  for 
the  power  of  the  Court  Magician  I  should  have  suc- 
ceeded in  my  scheme.  As  I  have  told  you,  I  was 
driven  from  the  Court.  I  was  pursued  by  dogs  and 
arrows,  and  finally  sank  exhausted  into  the  Death- 
Stone.  From  time  to  time  I  haunted  the  moor.  Now 
the  Lord  Buddha  has  had  compassion  upon  me,  and  he 
has  sent  his  priest  to  point  out  the  way  of  true  religion 
and  to  bring  peace." 

The  legend  concludes  with  the  following  pious 
utterances  poured  forth  by  the  now  contrite  spirit  : 

" '  I  swear,  O  man  of  God  !  I  swear/  she  cries, 
*  To  thee  whose  blessing  wafts  me  to  the  skies, 
I  swear  a  solemn  oath,  that  shall  endure 
Firm  as  the  Death-Stone  standing  on  the  moor, 
That  from  this  hour  I'm  virtue's  child  alone  !  ' 
Thus  spake  the  ghoul,  and  vanished  'neath  the  Stone." 

Translated  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

How  Tokutaro  was  Deluded  by  Foxes 

Tokutaro  was  a  complete  sceptic  in  regard  to  the 
magical  power  of  foxes.  His  scepticism  exasperated  a 
number  of  his  companions,  who  challenged  him  to  go 
to  Maki  moor.  If  nothing  happened  to  him,  Tokutaro 
was  to  receive,  writes  A.  B.  Mitford  (Lord  Redesdale) 
in  Tales  of  Old  Japan,  "  five  measures  of  wine  and  a 
thousand  copper  cash  x  worth  of  fish."  If,  on  the  other 

1  The  cask,  now  no  longer  in  use,  was  roughly  equivalent  to  one 
penny. 
98 


HOW  TOKUTARO  WAS   DELUDED  BY  FOXES 

hand,  Tokutaro  should  suffer  through  the  power  of  the 
foxes,  he  was  to  present  a  similar  gift  to  his  companions. 
Tokutaro  jeeringly  accepted  the  bet,  and  when  night 
had  come  he  set  out  for  the  Maki  moor. 

Tokutaro  was  determined  to  be  very  cute  and  very 
wary.  On  reaching  his  destination  he  happened  to 
meet  a  fox  running  through  a  bamboo  grove.  Im- 
mediately afterwards  he  perceived  the  daughter  of  the 
headman  of  Upper  Horikan£.  On  telling  the  woman 
that  he  was  going  to  this  village,  she  explained  that  as 
she  was  going  there  too  they  might  journey  together. 

Tokutaro's  suspicions  were  fully  aroused.  He  walked 
behind  the  woman,  vainly  searching  for  a  fox's  tail. 
When  they  reached  Upper  Horikane  the  girl's  parents 
came  out,  and  were  much  surprised  to  see  their 
daughter,  who  had  married,  and  was  living  in  another 
village. 

Tokutaro,  with  a  smile  of  superior  wisdom,  explained 
that  the  maid  before  them  was  not  really  their  daughter, 
but  a  fox  in  disguise.  The  old  people  were  at  first 
indignant,  and  refused  to  believe  what  Tokutaro  had 
told  them.  Eventually,  however,  he  persuaded  them 
to  leave  the  girl  in  his  hands  while  they  waited  for  the 
result  in  the  store-closet. 

Tokutaro  then  seized  the  girl,  and  brutally  knocked 
her  down,  pouring  abuse  upon  her.  He  stamped  upon 
her,  and  tortured  her  in  every  possible  way,  expecting 
every  moment  to  see  the  woman  turn  into  a  fox.  But 
she  only  wept  and  cried  piteously  for  her  parents  to 
come  to  her  rescue. 

This  whole-hearted  sceptic,  finding  his  efforts  so  far 
fruitless,  piled  wood  upon  the  floor  and  burnt  her  to 
death.  At  this  juncture  her  parents  came  running  in 
and  bound  Tokutaro  to  a  pillar,  fiercely  accusing  him 
of  murder. 

99 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Now  a  priest  happened  to  pass  that  way,  and,  hearing 
the  noise,  requested  an  explanation.  When  the  girl's 
parents  had  told  him  all,  and  after  he  had  listened  to 
Tokutaro's  pleadings,  he  begged  the  old  couple  to  spare 
the  man's  life  in  order  that  he  might  become  in  time  a 
good  and  devout  priest.  This  extraordinary  request, 
after  some  demur,  was  agreed  to,  and  Tokutaro  knelt 
down  to  have  his  head  shaved,  happy,  no  doubt,  to 
be  released  from  his  predicament  so  easily. 

No  sooner  had  Tokutaro's  wicked  head  been  shaved 
than  he  heard  a  loud  peal  of  laughter,  and  he  awoke 
to  find  himself  sitting  on  a  large  moor.  He  instinctively 
raised  his  hand  to  his  head,  to  discover  that  foxes  had 
shaved  him  and  he  had  lost  his  bet  ! 

A  Fox's  Gratitude 

After  the  preceding  gruesome  legend  describing  the 
evil  propensities  of  the  fox,  it  is  refreshing  to  come 
across  one  that  was  capable  of  considerable  self-sacrifice. 

Now  it  happened,  on  a  certain  spring  day,  that  two 
little  boys  were  caught  in  the  act  of  trying  to  catch  a 
baby  fox.  The  man  who  witnessed  the  performance 
possessed  a  kind  heart,  and,  on  hearing  that  the  boys 
were  anxious  to  sell  the  cub,  gave  them  half  a  bit* 

When  the  children  had  joyfully  departed  with  the 
money  the  man  discovered  that  the  little  creature  was 
wounded  in  the  foot.  He  immediately  applied  a 
certain  herb,  and  the  pain  speedily  subsided.  Perceiving 
at  a  short  distance  a  number  of  old  foxes  watching  him, 
he  generously  let  the  cub  go,  and  it  sprang  with  a 
bound  to  its  parents  and  licked  them  profusely. 

Now  this  kind-hearted  man  had  a  son,  who  was 
afflicted  with  a  strange  disease.  A  great  physician  at 
last  prescribed  the  liver  of  a  live  fox  as  being  the  only 

i  About  84 

100 


INARI  ANSWERS  A  WOMAN'S  PRAYER 

remedy  likely  to  effect  a  cure.  When  the  boy's 
parents  heard  this  they  were  much  distressed,  and 
would  only  consent  to  accept  a  fox's  liver  from  one  who 
made  it  his  business  to  hunt  foxes.  They  finally  com- 
missioned a  neighbour  to  obtain  the  liver,  for  which 
they  promised  to  pay  liberally. 

The  following  night  the  fox's  liver  was  brought  by 
a  strange  man  totally  unknown  to  the  good  people  of 
the  house.  The  visitor  professed  to  be  a  messenger 
sent  by  the  neighbour  whom  they  had  commissioned. 
When,  however,  the  neighbour  himself  arrived  he 
confessed  that  though  he  had  tried  his  utmost  to  obtain 
a  fox's  liver  he  had  failed  to  do  so,  and  had  come  to 
make  his  apologies.  He  was  utterly  amazed  to  hear 
the  story  the  parents  of  the  suffering  boy  told  him. 

The  next  day  the  fox's  liver  was  made  into  a  con- 
coction by  the  great  physician,  and  immediately  restored 
the  little  boy  to  his  usual  health  again. 

In  the  evening  a  beautiful  young  woman  appeared  at 
the  bedside  of  the  happy  parents.  She  explained  that 
she  was  the  mother  or  the  cub  the  master  had  saved, 
and  that  in  gratitude  for  his  kindness  she  had  killed 
her  offspring,  and  that  her  husband,  in  the  guise  of  the 
mysterious  messenger,  had  brought  the  desired  liver.1 

Inari  Answers  a  Woman's  Prayer 

Inari,  as  we  have  already  found,  is  often  extremely 
benevolent.  One  legend  informs  us  that  a  woman 
who  had  been  married  many  years  and  had  not  been 
blessed  with  a  child  prayed  at  Inari's  shrine.  At  the 
conclusion  of  her  supplication  the  stone  foxes  wagged 
their  tails,  and  snow  began  to  fall.  She  regarded  these 
phenomena  as  favourable  omens. 

1  The   lirer,    both    animal    and    human,    frequently   figures    in  fj 
Japanese  legend  as  a  remedy  for  various  ailments.  jf 

101 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

When  the  woman  reached  her  home  a  yeta  (beggar) 
accosted  her,  and  begged  for  something  to  eat.  The 
woman  good-naturedly  gave  this  unfortunate  wayfarer 
some  red  bean  rice,  the  only  food  she  had  in  the  house, 
and  presented  it  to  him  in  a  dish. 

The  next  day  her  husband  discovered  this  dish  lying 
in  front  of  the  shrine  where  she  had  prayed.  The 
beggar  was  none  other  than  Inari  himself,  and  the 
woman's  generosity  was  rewarded  in  due  season  by  the 
birth  of  a  child. 

The  Meanness  of  Raiko 

Raiko  was  a  wealthy  man  living  in  a  certain  village. 
In  spite  of  his  enormous  wealth,  which  he  carried  in 
his  obi  (girdle),  he  was  extremely  mean.  As  he  grew 
older  his  meanness  increased  till  at  last  he  contemplated 
dismissing  his  faithful  servants  who  had  served  him  so 
well. 

One  day  Raiko  became  very  ill,  so  ill  that  he  almost 
wasted  away,  on  account  of  a  terrible  fever.  On  the 
tenth  night  of  his  illness  a  poorly  dressed  bozu  (priest) 
appeared  by  his  pillow,  inquired  how  he  fared,  and 
added  that  he  had  expected  the  oni  to  carry  him  off 
long  ago. 

These  home  truths,  none  too  delicately  expressed, 
made  Raiko  very  angry,  and  he  indignantly  demanded 
that  the  priest  should  take  his  departure.  But  the  bozu, 
instead  of  departing,  told  him  that  there  was  only  one 
remedy  for  his  illness.  The  remedy  was  that  Raiko 
should  loosen  his  obi  and  distribute  his  money  to  the 
poor. 

Raiko  became  still  more  angry  at  what  he  considered 
the  gross  impertinence  of  the  priest.  He  snatched  a 
dagger  from  his  robe  and  tried  to  kill  the  kindly  bozu. 
The  priest,  without  the  least  fear,  informed  Raiko  that 
1 02 


THE  MEANNESS  OF  RAIKO 

he  had  heard  of  his  mean  intention  to  dismiss  his  worthy 
servants,  and  had  nightly  come  to  the  old  man  to  drain 
his  life-blood.  "  Now,"  said  the  priest,  "  my  object  is 
attained ! "  and  with  these  words  he  blew  out  the 
light. 

The  now  thoroughly  frightened  Raiko  felt  a  ghostly 
creature  advance  towards  him.  The  old  man  struck 
out  blindly  with  his  dagger,  and  made  such  a  commotion 
that  his  loyal  servants  ran  into  the  room  with  lanterns, 
and  the  light  revealed  the  horrible  claw  of  a  monster 
lying  by  the  side  of  the  old  man's  mat. 

Carefully  following  the  little  spots  of  blood,  Raiko' s 
servants  came  to  a  miniature  mountain  at  the  extreme 
end  of  the  garden,  and  in  the  mountain  was  a  large 
hole,  from  whence  protruded  the  upper  part  of  an 
enormous  spider.  This  creature  begged  the  servants 
to  try  to  persuade  their  master  not  to  attack  the  Gods, 
and  in  future  to  refrain  from  meanness. 

When  Raiko  heard  these  words  from  his  servants  he 
repented,  and  gave  large  sums  of  money  to  the  poor. 
Inari  had  assumed  the  shape  of  a  spider  and  priest  in 
order  to  teach  the  once  mean  old  man  a  lesson. 


103 


CHAPTER  VI :  JIZO,  THE  GOD  OF 
CHILDREN 

The  Significance  of  Jizo 

JIZO,  the  God  of  little  children  and  the  God  who 
makes  calm  the  troubled  sea,  is  certainly  the 
most  lovable  of  the  Buddhist  divinities,  though 
Kwannon,  the  Goddess  of  Mercy,  has  somewhat  similar 
attributes.  The  most  popular  Gods,  be  they  of  the 
East  or  West,  are  those  Gods  with  the  most  human 
qualities.  JizO,  though  of  Buddhist  origin,  is 
essentially  Japanese,  and  we  may  best  describe  him 
as  being  the  creation  of  innumerable  Japanese  women 
who  have  longed  to  project  into  the  Infinite,  into  the 
shrouded  Beyond,  a  deity  who  should  be  a  divine 
Father  and  Mother  to  the  souls  of  their  little  ones. 
And  this  is  just  what  JizO  is,  a  God  essentially  of  the 
feminine  heart,  and  not  a  being  to  be  tossed  about  in 
the  hair-splitting  debates  of  hoary  theologians.  A 
study  of  the  nature  and  characteristics  of  JizO  will 
reveal  all  that  is  best  in  the  Japanese  woman,  for  he 
assuredly  reveals  her  love,  her  sense  of  the  beautiful, 
and  her  infinite  compassion.  JizO  has  all  the  wisdom 
of  the  Lord  Buddha  himself,  with  this  important 
difference,  namely,  that  JizO  has  waived  aside  Nirvana, 
and  does  not  sit  upon  the  Golden  Lotus,  but  has 
become,  through  an  exquisitely  beautiful  self-sacrifice, 
the  divine  playmate  and  protector  of  Japanese  children. 
He  is  the  God  of  smiles  and  long  sleeves,  the  enemy 
of  evil  spirits,  and  the  one  being  who  can  heal  the 
wound  of  a  mother  who  has  lost  her  child  in  death. 
We  have  a  saying  that  all  rivers  find  their  way  to  the 
sea.  To  the  Japanese  woman  who  has  laid  her  little 
one  in  the  cemetery  all  rivers  wind  their  silver  courses 
into  the  place  where  the  ever-waiting  and  ever-gentle 
104 


JIZO  AND  LAFCADIO  HEARN 

JizO  is.  That  is  why  mothers  who  have  lost  their 
children  in  death  write  prayers  on  little  slips  of  paper, 
and  watch  them  float  down  the  rivers  on  their  way  to 
the  great  spiritual  Father  and  Mother  who  will  answer 
all  their  petitions  with  a  loving  smile. 

At  Jizo's  Shrine 

"  Fronting  the  kindly  Jizo's  shrine 
The  cherry-blooms  are  blowing  now, 
Pink  cloud  of  flower  on  slender  bough, 
And  hidden  tracery  of  line. 

"  Rose-dawn  against  moss-mellowed  grey, 
Through  which  the  wind-tost  sprays  allow 
Glimpse  of  calm  smile  and  placid  brow, 
Of  carven  face  where  sunbeams  play. 

"  Dawn-time,  I  pluck  a  branch,  and  swift 
Flutters  a  flight  of  petals  fair  ; 
Through  the  fresh-scented  morning  air 
Down  to  the  waving  grass  they  drift. 

"  Noon-tide  my  idle  fingers  stray, 
Through  the  fair  maze  of  bud  and  flower, 
Sending  a  sudden  blossom-shower 
From  the  sweet  fragance-haunted  spray. 

"  Low  in  the  west  the  red  fire  dies, 
Vaguely  I  lift  my  hand,  but  now 
Jizo  is  not — nor  cherry  bough — 
Only  the  dark  of  starless  skies !  " 

CLARA  A.  WALSH. 

Jizo  and  Lafcadio  Hearn 

Lafcadio  Hearn,  in  one  of  his  letters,1  writes : 
"  There  is  a  queer  custom  in  Izumo  which  may  interest 
you.  When  a  wedding  takes  place  in  the  house  of  an 

1  The  Japanese  Letters  of  Lafca&o  Hfarn,  edited  by  Elizabeth 
Bisland. 

105 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

unpopular  man  in  the  country  the  young  men  of  the 
village  carry  a  roadside  statue  of  JizO  into  the  Zashiki, 
and  announce  the  coming  of  the  God.  (This  is  especially 
done  with  an  avaricious  farmer,  or  a  stingy  family.) 
Food  and  wine  are  demanded  by  the  God.  The 
members  of  the  family  must  come  in,  salute  the  deity, 
and  give  all  the  sak&  and  food  demanded  while  any 
remains  in  the  house.  It  is  dangerous  to  refuse  ;  the 
young  peasants  would  probably  wreck  the  house.  After 
this  the  statue  is  carried  back  again  to  its  place.  The 
visit  of  JizO  is  much  dreaded.  It  is  never  made  to 
persons  who  are  liked." 

On  one  occasion  Lafcadio  Hearn,  who  had  a  very 
warm  admiration  for  this  God,  desired  to  restore  the 
head  and  arms  of  a  broken  JizO  image.  His  wife 
remonstrated  with  him,  and  we  quote  his  quaint  reply 
because  it  reminds  us  not  a  little  of  the  last  legend 
mentioned  in  this  chapter  :  "  Gomen>  gomen  I  ["  Forgive 
me  !•"]  I  thought  only  to  give  a  little  joy  as  I  hoped. 
The  JizO  I  wrote  you  about  is  not  the  thing  you  will 
find  in  the  graveyards  ;  but  it  is  JizO  who  shall  guard 
and  pacify  the  seas.  It  is  not  a  sad  kind,  but  you  do 
not  like  my  idea,  so  I  have  given  up  my  project.  It 
was  only  papa's  foolish  thought.  However,  poor  JizO- 
sama  wept  bitterly  when  it  heard  of  your  answer  to  me. 
I  said  to  it,  c  I  cannot  help  it,  as  Mamma  San  doubted 
your  real  nature,  and  thinks  that  you  are  a  graveyard- 
keeper.  I  know  that  you  are  the  saviour  of  seas  and 
sailors.'  The  JizO  is  crying  even  now." 

"  The  Dry  Bed  of  the  River  of  Souls  " 
\  Under  the  earth  there  is  the  Sai-no-Kawara,  or  "  the 
U)ry  Bed  of  the  River  of  Souls."  This  is  the  place 
jvhere  all  children  go  after  death,  children  and  those 
who  have  never  married.  Here  the  little  ones  play 
106 


THE  HUMMING  OF  THE  SALNO-KAWARA 

with  the  smiling  JizO,  and  here  it  is  that  they  build 
small  towers  of  stones,  for  there  are  many  in  this 
river-bed.  The  mothers  of  these  children,  in  the 
world  above  them,  also  pile  up  stones  around  the 
images  of  JizO,  for  these  little  towers  represent 
prayers  ;  they  are  charms  against  the  oniy  or  wicked 
spirits.  Sometimes  in  the  Dry  Bed  of  the  River  of 
Souls  the  oni  for  a  moment  gain  a  temporary  victory, 
and  knock  down  the  little  towers  which  the  ghosts  of 
children  have  built  with  so  much  laughter.  When 
such  a  misfortune  takes  place  the  laughter  ceases,  and 
the  little  ones  fly  to  JizO  for  protection.  He  hides 
them  in  his  long  sleeves,  and  with  his  sacred  staff 
drives  away  the  red-eyed  oni. 

The  place  where  the  souls  of  children  dwell  is  a 
shadowy  and  grey  world  of  dim  hills  and  vales  through 
which  the  Sai-no-Kawara  winds  its  way.  All  the 
children  are  clad  in  short  white  garments,  and  if 
occasionally  the  evil  spirits  frighten  them  there  is 
always  JizO  to  dry  their  tears,  always  one  who  sends 
them  back  to  their  ghostly  games  again. 

The  following  hymn  of  JizO,  known  as  "  The  Legend 
of  the  Humming  of  the  Sai-no-Kawara,"  gives  us  a 
beautiful  and  vivid  conception  of  JizO  and  this  ghostly 
land  where  children  play  : 

The  Legend  of  the  Humming  of  the  Sai^no^Kawara 

"Not  of  this  world  is  the  story  of  sorrow. 
The  story  of  the  Sai-no-Kawara, 
At  the  roots  of  the  Mountain  of  Shide  ; — 
Not  of  this  world  is  the  tale ;  yet  'tis  most  pitiful  to  hear. 
For  together  in  the  Sai-no-Kawara  are  assembled 
Children  of  tender  age  in  multitude, — 
Infants  but  two  or  three  years  old, 
Infants  of  four  or  five,  infants  of  less  than  ten  : 
In  the  Sai-no-Kawara  are  they  gathered  together. 
And  the  voice  of  their  longing  for  their  parents, 

107 


MYTHS  AND    LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

The  voice  of  their  crying  for  their  mothers  and  their  fathers — 

Is  never  as  the  voice  of  the  crying  of  children  in  this  world, 

But  a  crying  so  pitiful  to  hear 

That  the  sound  of  it  would  pierce  through  flesh  and  bone. 

And  sorrowful  indeed  the  task  which  they  perform, — 

Gathering  the  stones  of  the  bed  of  the  river, 

Therewith  to  heap  the  tower  of  prayers. 

Saying  prayers  for  the  happiness  of  father,  they  heap  the  first  tower ; 

Saying  prayers  for  the  happiness  of  mother,  they  heap  the  second 

tower  ; 
Saying  prayers  for  their  brothers,  their  sisters,  and  all  whom  they 

loved  at  home,  they  heap  the  third  tower. 
Such,  by  day,  arc  their  pitiful  diversions. 
But  ever  as  the  sun  begins  to  sink  below  the  horizon, 
Then  do  the  O»f,  the  demons  of  the  hells,  appear, 
And  say  to  them, — *  What  is  this  that  you  do  here  ? 
Lo  !  your  parents  still  living  in  the  Shaba-world 
Take  no  thought  of  pious  offering  or  holy  work  : 
They  do  nought  but  mourn  for  you  from  the  morning  unto  the 

evening. 

Oh  !  how  pitiful  !  alas !  how  unmerciful ! 
Verily  the  cause  of  the  pains  that  you  suffer 
Is  only  the  mourning,  the  lamentation  of  your  parents.' 
And  saying  also,  '  Blame  never  us  !  * 
The  demons  cast  down  the  heaped-up  towers, 
They  dash  their  stones  down  with  their  clubs  of  iron. 
But  lo  !  the  teacher  JizO  appears. 

All  gently  he  comes,  and  says  to  the  weeping  infants  : — 
'  Be  not  afraid,  dears  !  be  never  fearful ! 
Poor  little  souls,  your  lives  were  brief  indeed  ! 
Too  soon  you  were  forced  to  make  the  weary  journey  to  the  Meido, 
The  long  journey  to  the  region  of  the  dead  ! 
Trust  to  me  !     I  am  your  father  and  mother  in  the  Meido, 
Father  of  all  children  in  the  region  of  the  dead.' 
And  he  folds  the  skirt  of  his  shining  robe  about  them  ; 
So  graciously  takes  he  pity  on  the  infants. 

To  those  who  cannot  walk  he  stretches  forth  his  strong  shakujd* 
And  he  pets  the  little  ones,  caresses  them,  takes  them  to  his  loving 

bosom. 
So  graciously  he  takes  pity  on  the  infants. 

Namu  Amida  Butsu  !  >'  LAFCADIO  HEARN. 

1  Sacred  staff.  *  "  Hail,  omnipotent  Buddha  !" 

108 


Jizo. 


108 


THE  CAVE  OF  THE  CHILDREN'S  GHOSTS 

This  abode  of  the  souls  of  children  is  certainly  not 
an  ideal  land.  It  is  JizO,  and  not  his  country,  who 
has  sprung  from  the  hearts  of  Japanese  women.  The 
stern  Buddhist  teaching  of  cause  and  effect,  of  birth 
and  re-birth,  applies  to  even  gentle  infants.  But  if  the 
great  Wheel  of  Existence  revolves  with  unerring  force, 
and  only  fails  to  move  when  the  desire  for  not-being  is 
finally  attained  in  Nirvana,  JizO  lovingly  stands  at  the 
foot  of  Destiny  and  makes  easy  the  way  where  the  feet 
of  little  children  so  softly  patter. 

The  Cave  of  the  Children's  Ghosts 

There  is  a  cave  in  Japan  known  as  Kyu-Kukedo- 
San,  or  Ancient  Cavern,  and  far  within  its  recess  there 
is  to  be  found  an  image  of  JizO,  with  his  mystic  jewel 
and  sacred  staff.  Before  JizO  there  is  a  little  torii  *  and 
a  pair  of  gohei?  both  symbols  of  the  Shinto  faith  ;  but, 
as  Lafcadio  Hearn  observes,  "  this  gentle  divinity  has 
no  enemies  ;  at  the  feet  of  the  lover  of  children's  ghosts 
both  creeds  unite  in  tender  homage."  Here  it  is  that 
the  ghosts  of  little  children  meet,  softly  whispering 
together  as  they  stoop  hither  and  thither  in  order  to 
build  their  towers  of  stones.  At  night  they  creep  over 
the  sea  from  their  Dry  Bed  of  the  River  of  Souls,  and 
cover  the  sand  in  the  cavern  with  their  ghostly  footsteps, 
building,  ever  building  those  prayers  of  stone,  while 
JizO  smiles  down  upon  their  loving  labour.  They  depart 
before  the  rising  of  the  sun,  for  it  is  said  that  the  dead  fear 
to  gaze  upon  the  Sun  Goddess,  and  most  especially  are 
these  infants  afraid  of  her  bright  gold  eyes. 

1  A  gateway. 

a  "  A  wand  from  which  depend  strips  of  white  paper  cut  into 
little  angular  bunches  (gofoi),  intended  to  represent  the  offerings  of 
cloth  which  were  anciently  tied  to  branches  of  the  sacred  cleyera 
tree  at  festival  time." — B.  H.  Chamberlain. 

109 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

The  Fountain  of  Jizo 

Another  beautiful  sea-cave  contains  the  Fountain  of 
JizO.  It  is  a  fountain  of  flowing  milk,  at  which  the  souls  of 
children  quench  their  thirst.  Mothers  suffering  from 
want  of  milk  come  to  this  fountain  and  pray  to  JizO,  and 
mothers  having  more  milk  than  their  infants  require  pray 
to  the  same  God  that  he  may  take  some  of  their  milk 
and  give  it  to  the  souls  of  children  in  his  great  shadowy 
kingdom.  And  JizO  is  said  to  answer  their  prayers. 

How  Jizo  Remembered 

A  woman  named  Soga  Sadayoshi  lived  by  feeding  silk- 
worms and  gathering  their  silk.  One  day,  on  a  visit  to 
the  temple  of  Ken-cho-ji,  she  thought  that  an  image  of 
JizO  looked  cold,  and  went  home,  made  a  cap,  returned 
with  it,  and  set  it  upon  Jizo's  head,  saying  :  "  Would 
I  were  rich  enough  to  give  thee  a  warm  covering  for 
all  thine  august  body  ;  but,  alas  !  I  am  poor,  and  even 
this  which  I  offer  thee  is  unworthy  of  thy  divine 
acceptance." 

In  her  fiftieth  year  the  woman  died,  and  as  her  body 
remained  warm  for  three  days  her  relatives  would  not 
consent  to  her  burial.  On  the  evening  of  the  third  day, 
however,  much  to  the  surprise  and  joy  of  those  about 
her,  she  came  to  life  once  more. 

Shortly  after  the  woman  had  resumed  her  work  again 
she  narrated  how  her  soul  had  appeared  before  the 
great  and  terrible  Emma-O,  Lord  and  Judge  of  the  dead, 
and  how  that  dread  being  had  been  angry  with  her 
because,  contrary  to  Buddha's  teaching,  she  had  killed 
innumerable  silkworms.  Emma-O  was  so  angry  that  he 
ordered  her  to  be  thrown  into  a  pot  filled  with  molten 
metal.  While  she  cried  out  in  intense  agony  JizO 
came  and  stood  beside  her,  and  immediately  the  metal 
no 


HOW  JIZO  REMEMBERED 

ceased  to  burn.  After  JizO  had  spoken  kindly  to  the 
woman  he  led  her  to  Emma-O,  and  requested  that  she 
who  had  once  kept  warm  one  of  his  images  should 
receive  pardon.  And  Emma-O  granted  the  request  of 
the  ever-loving  and  compassionate  God,  and  the  woman 
returned  to  the  sunny  world  of  Japan  again. 


in 


CHAPTER  VII :  LEGEND  IN 
JAPANESE  ART 

The  Significance  of  Japanese  Art 

SIR  ALFRED  EAST,  in  lecturing  on  the  subject 
of  Japanese  art,  described  it  as  "  great  in  small 
things,  but  small  in  great  things,"  and  this, 
generally  speaking,  is  very  true.  The  Japanese  artist 
excels  in  depicting  flowers  and  insects  and  birds.  He 
is  triumphant  in  portraying  the  curl  of  a  wave,  a 
branch  of  cherry-blossom  against  a  full  moon,  a  flight 
of  heron,  a  group  of  pine-trees,  and  carp  swimming  in 
a  stream ;  but  that  genius  for  minute  and  accurate 
detail  seems  to  have  prevented  him  from  depicting  what 
we  understand  as  a  great  subject-picture,  an  historical 
scene  crowded  with  many  figures.  This  zest  to  portray 
various  fragments  from  Nature  was  no  narrow  and 
academic  affair.  Art  was  not  intended  solely  for  the 
kakemono,  or  hanging  scroll,  to  be  suspended  in  the 
alcove  of  a  Japanese  home,  to  be  admired  for  a  time, 
and  then  to  be  replaced  by  another.  Art  in  Japan  was 
universal  to  an  extent  not  to  be  found  in  any  other 
country,  where  a  cheap  towel  had  a  pleasing  design 
upon  it,  and  where  the  playing  cards,  unlike  our  own, 
were  works  of  art. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  woman  in  Japanese  art  is 
wooden.  This  is  not  really  so,  if  by  wooden  we  mean 
entirely  without  expression  ;  but  it  is  necessary  first  of 
all  to  know  something  about  the  Japanese  woman  in 
actual  life  before  we  can  understand  her  representation 
in  art.  There  is  a  wealth  of  old  tradition  behind  that 
apparently  immobile  face.  It  is  a  curious  fact  that  until 
we  get  accustomed  to  the  various  Japanese  types  one 
face  so  closely  resembles  another  that  discrimination  is 
out  of  the  question,  and  we  are  apt  to  run  away  with 


THE  SIGNIFICANCE  OF  JAPANESE  ART 

the  idea  that  Nature  in  Japan  has  been  content  to  repeat 
the  same  physiognomy  over  and  over  again,  forgetting 
that  we  in  turn  present  no  diversity  of  type  to  the 
Japanese  on  first  acquaintance.  The  Japanese  face  in 
art  is  not  without  expression,  only  it  happens  to  be  an 
expression  rather  different  from  that  with  which  we  are 
familiar,  and  this  is  particularly  true  in  regard  to  the 
portrayal  of  Japanese  women.  Most  of  us  have  seen  a 
number  of  colour-prints  devoted  to  this  subject  in  which 
we  find  no  shading  in  the  face.  We  are  apt  to  exclaim 
that  this  omission  gives  an  extremely  flat  effect  to  the 
face,  and  to  observe  in  consequence  that  the  work  before 
us  must  be  very  bad  art.  But  it  is  not  bad  art,  for  the 
Japanese  face  is  flat,  and  the  artists  of  that  country 
never  fail  to  reflect  this  characteristic.  Colour-prints 
depicting  Nipponese  women  do  not  reveal  emotion — a 
smile,  a  gesture  of  yearning,  are  absent;  but  because  we 
find  so  much  negation  we  should  be  very  far  from  the 
truth  to  suppose  that  a  colour-print  of  this  kind  ex- 
presses no  feeling,  that  the  general  effect  is  doll-like  and 
uninteresting.  We  must  take  into  consideration  the 
long  period  of  suppression  through  which  the  Japanese 
woman  had  to  pass.  A  superficial  study  of  that  extra- 
ordinary treatise  by  Kaibara  known  as  Onna  Daigaku, 
or  "  The  Greater  Learning  for  Women/ '  will  help  us  to 
realise  that  it  was  the  duty  of  every  Japanese  woman  to 
be  sweet,  amiable,  virtuous  ;  to  obey  those  in  authority 
without  demur,  and  above  all  to  suppress  her  feelings. 
When  we  have  taken  these  points  into  consideration 
we  shall  very  slowly  perceive  that  there  is  strength  and 
not  weakness  in  a  portrait  of  a  Japanese  woman  ;  a  quiet 
and  dignified  beauty  in  which  impulse  is  held  in  check, 
veiled,  as  it  were,  behind  a  cloud  of  rigid  tradition. 
The  Japanese  woman,  though  she  has  been  surrounded 
at  every  turn  by  severe  discipline,  has,  nevertheless, 

H  113 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

given  us  a  type  ot  womanhood  supreme  in  her  true 
sweetness  of  disposition,  and  the  Japanese  artist  has 
caught  the  glamour  of  her  charm.  In  the  curve  of  her 
form  he  suggests  the  grace  of  a  wind-blown  willow, 
in  the  designs  upon  her  robe  the  promise  of  spring, 
and  behind  the  small  red  mouth  a  wealth  of  infinite 
possibilities. 

Japan  owed  her  art  to  Buddhism,  and  it  was  quick- 
ened and  sustained  by  Chinese  influence.  Buddhism 
gave  Nippon  her  pictorial  art,  her  mural  decoration 
and  exquisite  carving.  Shinto  temples  were  severe 
and  plain,  those  of  Buddhism  were  replete  with  all 
that  art  could  give  them ;  and  last,  but  not  least,  it 
was  Buddha's  teaching  that  brought  into  Japan  the 
art  of  gardening,  with  all  its  elaborate  and  beautiful 
symbolism. 

A  Japanese  art  critic  wrote  :  "  If  in  the  midst  of  a 
stroke  a  sword-cut  had  severed  the  brush  it  would  have 
bled."  From  this  we  may  gather  that  the  Japanese 
artist  put  his  whole  heart  into  his  work ;  it  was  a  part 
of  him,  something  vital,  something  akin  to  religion 
itself.  With  this  great  force  behind  his  brush  it  is 
no  wonder  that  he  was  able  to  give  that  extraordinary 
life  and  movement  to  his  work,  so  strikingly  depicted 
in  portraits  of  actors. 

Though  we  have  so  far  only  shown  the  Japanese 
artist  as  a  master  of  little  things,  he  has,  nevertheless, 
faithfully  and  effectively  represented  the  Gods  and 
Goddesses  of  his  country,  and  many  of  the  myths  and 
legends  connected  with  them.  If  he  excelled  in  the 
beautiful,  he  no  less  excelled  in  depicting  the  horrible, 
for  no  artists,  excepting  those  of  China,  have  succeeded 
in  portraying  the  supernatural  to  more  effect.  What  a 
contrast  there  is  between  an  exquisite  picture  of  JizO  or 
Buddha  or  Kwannon  and  the  pictorial  representation 
"4 


THE  TREASURE  SHIP 

of  a  Japanese  goblin  !  Extreme  beauty  and  extreme 
ugliness  are  to  be  found  in  Japanese  art,  and  those 
who  love  the  many  pictures  of  Mount  Fuji  and  the 
moth-like  colouring  of  Utamaru's  women  will  turn  in 
horror  from  the  ghastly  representations  of  supernatural 
beings. 

The  Gods  of  Good  Fortune 

Many  of  the  legendary  stories  given  in  this  volume 
have   been    portrayed  by  Japanese  artists,  and  in  the 
present  chapter  we  propose  to  deal  with  the  legends  in 
Japanese  art  not  hitherto  mentioned.     The  favourite 
theme  of  the  Japanese  artist  is  undoubtedly  that  of  the 
Seven   Gods  of  Good  Fortune,  nearly  always  treated 
with  rollicking  good-humour.     There  was  Fukurokuju, 
with  a  very  long  head,  and  attended  by  a  crane,  deer,  or 
tortoise  ;  Daikoku,  who  stood  upon  rice-bales  and  was 
accompanied  by  a  rat ;  Ebisu,  carrying  a  fish  ;  Hotei, 
the  merry  God  of  Laughter,  the  very  embodiment  of  our 
phrase  "Laugh  and  grow  fat."     There  was  Bishamon, 
resplendent  in  armour,  and  bearing  a  spear  and  toy 
pagoda  ;  Benten,  the  Goddess  of  Beauty,  Wealth,  Ferti- 
lity, and  Offspring  ;  while  Jurqjin  was  very  similar   to 
Fukurokuju.     These  Seven  Gods  of  Good  Fortune,  or ^ 
to  be  more  accurate,  six  Gods  and  one  Goddess,  seem  t< 
have  sprung  from  Shintoism,  Taoism,  Buddhism,  an< 
Brahmanism,  and  apparently  date  from  the  seventeentl 
century. 

The  Treasure  Ship 

In  connection  with  this  theme  the  Japanese  artist  is 
fond  of  portraying  the  Gods  of  Good  Fortune  as  jovial 
passengers  on  the  Takara-bune^  or  Treasure  Ship,  which 
is  said  to  come  to  port  on  New  Year's  Eve,  with  no  less 
a  cargo  than  the  Hat  of  Invisibility,  the  Lucky  Rain- 

"5 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

coat,  the  Sacred  Key,  the  Inexhaustible  Purse,  and  other 
curious  and  magical  treasures.  At  this  time  of  the 
year  pictures  of  the  Treasure  Ship  are  placed  under 
children's  wooden  pillows,  and  the  practice  is  said  to 
bring  a  lucky  dream. 

"  Sleep,  my  own,  till  the  bell  of  dusk 
Bring  the  stars  laden  with  a  dream. 
With  that  dream  you  shall  awake 
Between  the  laughters  and  the  song." 

YONE  NOGUCHI. 

The  Miraculous  in  Japanese  Art 

Among  other  legends  is  the  story  of  Hidari  JingorO, 
the  famous  sculptor,  whose  masterpiece  came  to  life 
When  finished,  which  reminds  us  not  a  little  of  the  story 
^f  Pygmalion.  There  are  other  legendary  stories  con- 
nected with  the  coming  to  life  of  Japanese  works  of  art. 
On  a  certain  occasion  a  number  of  peasants  were  much 
annoyed  by  the  destruction  of  their  gardens  caused  by 
some  wild  animal.  Eventually  they  discovered  that 
the  intruder  was  a  great  black  horse,  and  on  giving 
chase  it  suddenly  disappeared  into  a  temple.  When 
they  entered  the  building  they  found  Kanasoka's 
painting  of  a  black  steed  steaming  with  its  recent 
exertion  !  The  great  artist  at  once  painted  in  a  rope 
tethering  the  animal  to  a  post,  and  from  that  day  to 
this  the  peasants'  gardens  have  remained  unmolested. 

When  the  great  artist  Sesshiu  was  a  little  boy  the 
story  goes  that  he  was,  by  way  of  punishment,  securely 
bound  in  a  Buddhist  temple.  Using  his  copious  tears 
for  ink  and  his  toe  for  a  brush,  the  little  fellow  sketched 
some  rats  upon  the  floor.  Immediately  they  came  to 
life  and  gnawed  through  the  rope  that  bound  their 
youthful  creator. 


116 


HOKUSAI 

Hokusai 

There  is  something  more  than  mere  legend  in  these 
stories,  if  we  may  believe  the  words  of  the  famous 
artist  Hokusai,  whose  u  Hundred  Views  of  Fuji "  are 
regarded  as  the  finest  examples  of  Japanese  landscape- 
painting.  He  wrote  in  his  Preface  to  this  work  :  "  At 
ninety  I  shall  penetrate  the  mystery  of  things  ;  at  a 
hundred  I  shall  certainly  have  reached  a  marvellous 
stage  ;  and  when  I  am  a  hundred  and  ten  everything 
I  do,  be  it  a  dot  or  a  line,  will  be  alive.'*  Needless  to 
say,  Hokusai  did  not  reach  the  age  of  a  hundred  and 
ten.  In  his  last  hours  he  wrote  the  following  lines, 
which  were  afterwards  inscribed  upon  his  tomb  : 

"  My  soul,  turned  Will-o'-the-wisp, 
Can  come  and  go  at  ease  over  the  summer  fields." 

With  that  strong  poetic  feeling  so  characteristic  of  the 
Japanese,  Eternity  meant  for  Hokusai  an  infinite  time 
in  which  to  carry  on  his  beloved  work — to  perfect,  to 
make  alive  all  the  wonderful  strokes  of  his  brush.  As 
in  ancient  Egypt,  so  in  Old  Japan,  the  future  life  could 
only  mean  real  happiness  with  periodic  visits  to  this 
world  again,  and  there  is  a  subtle  and  almost  pathetic 
paradox  in  this  conception,  suggesting,  as  it  were, 
the  continual  loading  of  Eternity  with  fresh  earthly 
memories.  In  both  countries  we  find  the  spirit  hanker- 
ing after  old  human  haunts.  In  Egypt  the  soul  re- 
turned through  the  medium  of  its  preserved  body,  and 
in  Japan  the  Festival  of  the  Dead,  described  elsewhere, 
afforded  a  joyous  exit  from  the  world  of  Emma-O,  a  three 
days'  visit  in  the  middle  of  July  to  Japan,  a  land  more 
beautiful,  more  dear,  it  would  seem,  than  any  Japanese 
conception  of  a  future  world.  But  Hokusai  appears  to 
suggest  that  his  visits  would  not  be  made  merely  in  the 

117 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

summer  season — rather  a  frequent  coming  and  going  at 
all  times  of  the  year. 

A  Japanese  poet  has  written  : 

"  It  is  an  awesome  thing 
To  meet  a-wandering, 

In  the  dark  night, 
The  dark  and  rainy  night, 
A  phantom  greenish-grey, 
Ghost  of  some  wight, 
Poor  mortal  wight ! 
Wandering 
Lonesomely 
Through 
The  black 
Night." 

Translated  by  CLARA  A.  WALSH. 

Ghosts  and  Goblins 

It  is  scarcely  less  awesome  to  come  across  ghosts, 
goblins,  and  other  supernatural  beings  in  a  Japanese 
picture.  We  find  ghosts  with  long  necks  supporting 
horribly  leering  faces.  Their  necks  are  so  long  that  it 
would  seem  that  the  ghastly  heads  could  look  above 
and  into  everything  with  a  fiendish  and  dreadful  relish. 
The  ghoul,  though  represented  in  Japanese  art  as  a 
three-year-old  child,  has  reddish-brown  hair,  very  long 
ears,  and  is  often  depicted  as  eating  the  kidneys  of  dead 
people.  The  horrible  in  this  phase  of  Japanese  art  is 
emphasised  to  an  almost  unbearable  degree,  and  a  living 
Japanese  artist's  conception  of  a  procession  of  ghosts l 
is  so  uncanny,  so  weird,  that  we  certainly  should  not 
like  to  meet  them  in  broad  daylight,  much  less  "through 
the  dark  night !  " 


1  See    indent    Tales   and    Folk-lore   of   Japan,    by    R.     Gordon 
Smith. 
118 


THE  DREAM  OF  ROSEI 

A  Garden  of  Skulls 

The  Japanese  artist's  conception  of  a  garden,  with 
its  pine-trees,  and  stone  lanterns,  and  azalea-bordered 
lakes,  is  usually  extremely  beautiful.  Hiroshige,  like 
so  many  Japanese  artists,  has  painted  a  garden  touched 
with  snow  ;  but  in  one  of  his  pictures  he  portrays  the 
snow  as  turning  into  a  number  of  skulls,  and  has 
borrowed  this  fantastic  conception  from  the  Heike 
Monogatari. 

It  must  not  be  thought  that  the  Japanese  artist, 
when  portraying  some  supernatural  being,  or  in  depict- 
ing some  scene  from  a  legendary  story,  exclusively 
catches  the  grim  and  horrible.  The  grim  and  horrible 
are  certainly  portrayed  with  considerable  spirit  and 
dramatic  force,  but  many  of  the  Japanese  works  of  art 
depict  the  Gods  and  Goddesses  of  Old  Japan  with  much 
grace  and  charm. 

The  Dream  of  Rosei  x 

Japanese  ornament  frequently  illustrates  some  ancient 
legend.  We  may  see  on  a  certain  tsuba  (sword-guard) 
a  pine-tree  with  people  sitting  in  the  branches.  One 
man  carries  a  banner,  while  two  others  are  playing  on 
musical  instruments.  There  is  an  exquisite  legend  con- 
nected with  this  quaint  design,  and,  though  it  is  of 
Chinese  origin,  it  deserves  to  find  a  place  in  this  volume 
because  it  is  one  of  those  fantastic  Chinese  legends  that 
has  been  woven  into  Japanese  literature  and  art — has 
become,  in  short,  one  of  the  favourite  themes  of 
Japanese  artists,  and  of  those  who  witness  the  Noy  or 
lyrical  drama,  of  Nippon. 

Rosei,   in   ancient  times,   reached  the  little  inn   of 

1  Adapted  from  the  No  drama,  translated  by  B.  H.  Chamberlain. 

119 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Kantan,  so  weary  with  his  travel  that  he  fell  asleep  as 
soon  as  his  head  touched  the  pillow.  It  was  no  ordinary 
pillow,  but  might  well  be  described  as  the  Magic  Pillow 
of  Dreams,  for  directly  Rosei  was  asleep  an  envoy 
approached  him,  and  said  :  "  I  am  sent  by  the  Emperor 
of  Ibara  to  inform  you  that  his  Majesty  wishes  to 
relinquish  the  throne  and  to  install  you  in  his  place. 
Be  pleased  to  enter  the  palanquin  that  awaits  you,  and 
the  bearers  will  quickly  carry  you  to  the  capital." 

Rosei,  much  amazed  by  what  he  had  heard  and  seen, 
entered  the  palanquin,  "  strewn  with  gems  of  radiant 
hue,"  and  was  borne  to  a  wonderful  country,  best 
described  in  the  following  verse  : 

"  For  ne'er  in  those  old  vasty  halls  Imperial, 
Bath'd  in  the  moonbeams  bright, 
Or  where  the  dragon  soars  on  clouds  ethereal, 
Was  ought  like  this  to  entrance  the  sight  : 
With  golden  sand  and  silvern  pebbles  white 
Was  strewn  the  floor  ; 
And  at  the  corners  four, 
Through  gates  inlaid 
With  diamonds  and  jade, 

Pass'd  throngs  whose  vestments  were  of  radiant  light, — 
So  fair  a  scene, 
That  mortal  eye  might  ween 
It  scann'd  the  very  heav'ns'  unknown  delight. 
Here  countless  gifts  the  folk  came  bearing, 
Precious  as  myriad  coins  of  finest  gold  ; 
And  there,  the  lesser  with  the  greater  sharing, 
Advanced  the  vassals  bold, 
Their  banners  to  display 
That  paint  the  sky  with  colours  gay, 
While  rings  the  air  as  had  a  thunder  roll'd." 

Trans,  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

Rosei  found  himself  in  a  magical  country  where 
Nature  either  forgot  her  natural  laws  or  was  led  into 
fresh  wonders  by  the  people  of  that  land.  In  the  east 
there  was  a  silver  hill  over  which  the  gold  sun  shone, 

120 


THE  DREAM  OF  ROSEI 

and  in  the  west  there  was  a  gold  hill  over  which  the 
moon  shone. 

"  No  spring  and  autumn  mark  the  time, 
And  o'er  that  deathless  gate 
The  sun  and  moon  their  wonted  speed  forget." 

Trans,  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

The  whole  idea  of  this  charming  story  seems  to  suggest 
that  this  country  was  not  only  a  land  of  eternal  youth, 
but  a  land,  too,  where  Nature  marshalled  her  seasons 
together,  where  there  were  always  colour  and  blossom, 
and  where  no  flower  faded. 

When  Rosei  had  lived  and  reigned  for  fifty  years 
in  this  glorious  country  a  minister  came  to  him  one 
day  and  bade  him  drink  of  the  Elixir  of  Life,  in  order 
that  he  might,  like  his  subjects,  live  for  ever. 

The  monarch  drank  the  Elixir,  "  'Mid  dazzling 
pomp  and  joys  more  ravishing  than  e'er  before  were 
shower'd  on  mortal  sight."  Rosei  believed  that  he 
had  cheated  Death  of  his  due,  and  lived  the  life  of 
poetic,  if  sensuous,  ecstasy.  He  gave  sumptuous  feasts 
to  his  courtiers,  feasts  which  saw  the  sun  and  moon 
without  intermission,  where  lovely  maidens  danced,  and 
where  there  were  endless  music  and  song. 

It  so  happened,  however,  that  these  joyous  feasts, 
these  pageants  of  colour,  were  not  endless  after  all,  for 
eventually  Rosei  awoke  to  find  himself  resting  upon 
"Kantan's  pillow."  The  moralist  steps  in  at  this 
juncture  with  the  following  : 

"  But  he  that  ponders  well 
Will  find  all  life  the  self-same  story  tell, — 
That,  when  death  comes,  a  century  of  bliss 
Fades  like  a  dream." 

Trans,  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

Rosei,  after  this  fantastic  experience,  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  "  life  is  a  dream,"  that  ambition  is 

121 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

a    dream    too,  and,    having  accepted    this    Buddhistic 
teaching,  he  returned  to  his  own  home. 

A  Kakemono  Ghost1 

Sawara  was  a  pupil  in  the  house  of  the  artist  Tenko, 
who  was  a  kind  and  able  master,  while  Sawara,  even  at 
the  commencement  of  his  art  studies,  showed  con- 
siderable promise.  Kimi,  Tenko's  niece,  devoted  her 
time  to  her  uncle  and  in  directing  the  affairs  of  the 
household  generally.  Kimi  was  beautiful,  and  it  was 
not  long  before  she  fell  desperately  in  love  with  Sawara. 
This  young  pupil  regarded  her  as  very  charming,  one 
to  die  for  if  need  be,  and  in  his  heart  he  secretly  loved 
her.  His  love,  however,  unlike  Kimi's,  was  not  demon- 
strative, for  he  had  his  work  to  attend  to,  and  so, 
to  be  sure,  had  Kimi ;  but  work  with  Sawara  came 
before  his  love,  and  with  Kimi  it  was  only  love  that 
mattered. 

One  day,  when  Tenko  was  paying  a  visit,  Kimi  came 
to  Sawara,  and,  unable  to  restrain  her  feelings  any  longer, 
told  him  of  her  love,  and  asked  him  if  he  would  like  to 
marry  her.  Having  made  her  request,  she  set  tea  before 
her  lover,  and  awaited  his  answer. 

Sawara  returned  her  affection,  and  said  that  he  would 
be  delighted  to  marry  her,  adding,  however,  that 
marriage  was  not  possible  until  after  two  or  three  years, 
when  he  had  established  a  position  for  himself  and  had 
become  a  famous  artist. 

Sawara,  in  order  to  add  to  his  knowledge  of  art, 
decided  to  study  under  a  celebrated  painter  named 
Myokei,  and,  everything  having  been  arranged,  he  bade 
farewell  to  his  old  master  and  Kimi,  promising  that  he 
would  return  as  soon  as  he  had  made  a  name  for  himself 
and  become  a  great  artist. 

1  Ancient  Tales  and  Folk-lore  of  Japan,  by  R.  Gordon  Smith. 

122 


A  KAKEMONO  GHOST 

Two  years  went  by  and  Tenko  and  Kimi  heard  no 
news  of  Sawara.  Many  admirers  of  Kimi  came  to  her 
uncle  with  offers  of  marriage,  and  Tenko  was  debating 
as  to  what  he  should  do  in  the  matter,  when  he  received 
a  letter  from  Myokei,  saying  that  Sawara  was  doing 
good  work,  and  that  he  desired  that  his  excellent  pupil 
should  marry  his  daughter. 

Tenko  imagined,  perhaps  not  without  some  reason, 
that  Sawara  had  forgotten  all  about  Kimi,  and  that  the 
best  thing  he  could  do  was  to  give  her  in  marriage  to 
Yorozuya,  a  wealthy  merchant,  and  also  to  fulfil 
Miyokei's  wish  that  Sawara  should  marry  the  great 
painter's  daughter.  With  these  intentions  Tenko 
resolved  to  employ  strategy,  so  he  called  Kimi  to  him, 
and  said  : 

"  Kimi,  I  have  had  a  letter  from  Myokei,  and  I  am 
afraid  the  sad  news  which  it  contains  will  distress  you. 
Myokei  wishes  Sawara  to  marry  his  daughter,  and  I 
have  told  him  that  I  fully  approve  of  the  union.  I  feel 
sure  that  Sawara  has  neglected  you,  and  I  therefore 
wish  that  you  should  marry  Yorozuya,  who  will  make, 
T  am  sure,  a  very  good  husband.'* 

When  Kimi  heard  these  words  she  wept  bitterly,  and 
without  a  word  went  to  her  room. 

In  the  morning  Tenko  entered  Kimi's  apartment, 
but  his  niece  had  gone,  and  the  protracted  search  that 
followed  failed  to  discover  her  whereabouts. 

When  Myokei  had  received  Tenko's  letter  he  told 
the  promising  young  artist  that  he  wished  him  to 
marry  his  daughter,  and  thus  establish  a  family  of 
painters  ;  but  Sawara  was  amazed  to  hear  this  extra- 
ordinary news,  and  explained  that  he  could  not  accept 
the  honour  of  becoming  his  son-in-law  because  he  was 
already  engaged  to  Tenko's  niece. 

Sawara,  all  too  late,  sent  letters  to  Kimi,  and,  receiving 

123 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 
no  reply,  he  set  out  for  his  old  home,  shortly  after  the 
death  of  Myokei. 

When  he  reached  the  little  house  where  he  had 
received  his  first  lessons  in  the  art  of  painting  he  learnt 
with  anger  that  Kimi  had  left  her  old  uncle,  and  in 
due  time  he  married  Kiku  ("  Chrysanthemum  "),  the 
daughter  of  a  wealthy  farmer. 

Shortly  after  Sawara' s  marriage  the  Lord  of  Aki  bade 
him  paint  the  seven  scenes  of  the  Islands  of  Kabakari- 
jima,  which  were  to  be  mounted  on  gold  screens.  He 
at  once  set  out  for  these  islands,  and  made  a  number 
of  rough  sketches.  While  thus  employed  he  met  along 
the  shore  a  woman  with  a  red  cloth  round  her  loins, 
her  hair  loose  and  falling  about  her  shoulders.  She 
carried  shell-fish  in  her  basket,  and  as  soon  as  she  saw 
Sawara  she  recognised  him. 

"You  are  Sawara  and  I  am  Kimi,"  said  she,  "to 
whom  you  are  engaged.  It  was  a  false  report  about 
your  marriage  with  Myokei's  daughter,  and  my  heart 
is  full  of  joy,  for  now  nothing  prevents  our  union." 

"Alas  !  poor,  much-wronged  Kimi,  that  cannot  be  !  " 
replied  Sawara.  "  I  thought  that  you  deserted  Tenko, 
and  that  you  had  forgotten  me,  and  believing  these 
things  to  be  true  I  have  married  Kiku,  a  farmer's 
daughter." 

Kimi,  without  a  word,  sprang  forward  like  a  hunted 
animal,  ran  along  the  shore,  and  entered  her  little  hut, 
Sawara  running  after  her  and  calling  her  name  over  and 
over  again.  Before  his  very  eyes  he  saw  Kimi  take  a 
knife  and  thrust  it  into  her  throat,  and  in  another 
moment  she  lay  dead  upon  the  ground.  Sawara  wept 
as  he  gazed  upon  her  still  form,  noticed  the  wistful 
beauty  of  Death  upon  her  cheek,  and  saw  a  new  glory 
in  her  wind-blown  hair.  So  fair  and  wonderful  was 
her  presence  now  that  when  he  had  controlled  his 
124 


A   Kakemono   Ghost. 


124 


KIMI  FINDS  PEACE 

weeping  he  made  a  sketch  of  the  woman  who  had  loved 
him  so  well,  but  so  pitifully.  Above  the  mark  of  the 
tide  he  buried  her,  and  when  he  reached  his  own  home 
he  took  out  the  rough  sketch,  painted  a  picture  cf 
Kimi,  and  hung  the  kakemono  on  the  wall. 

Kimi  Finds  Peace 

That  very  night  he  awoke  to  find  that  the  figure 
on  the  kakemono  had  come  to  life,  that  Kimi  with  the 
wound  in  her  throat,  the  dishevelled  hair,  stood  beside 
him.  Night  after  night  she  came,  a  silent,  pitiful 
figure,  until  at  last  Sawara,  unable  to  bear  these  visita- 
tions any  longer,  presented  the  kakemono  to  the  Korinji 
Temple  and  sent  his  wife  back  to  her  parents.  The 
priests  of  the  Korinji  Temple  prayed  every  day  for  the 
soul  of  Kimi,  and  by  and  by  Kimi  found  peace  and 
troubled  Sawara  no  more. 


CHAPTER  VIII :  THE  STAR  LOVERS 
AND  THE  ROBE  OF  FEATHERS 

The  Star  Lovers 

ONE  of  the  most  romantic  of  the  old  Japanese 
festivals  is  the  Festival  of  Tanabata,  the 
Weaving  Lady.  It  takes  place  on  the  seventh 
day  of  the  seventh  month,  and  on  this  occasion  it 
was  customary  to  place  freshly  cut  bamboos  either 
on  the  roofs  of  houses  or  to  fix  them  in  the  ground 
close  beside  them.  Coloured  strips  of  paper  were 
attached  to  these  bamboos,  and  upon  every  strip  of 
paper  was  a  poem  in  praise  of  Tanabata  and  her  husband 
Hikoboshi,  such  as  :  "As  Tanabata  slumbers  with  her 
long  sleeves  rolled  up,  until  the  reddening  of  the  dawn, 
do  not,  O  storks  of  the  river-shallows,  awaken  her  by 
your  cries.'*  This  festival  will  more  readily  be  under- 
stood when  we  have  described  the  legend  in  connection 
with  it. 

The  God  of  the  Firmament  had  a  lovely  daughter, 
name,  and  she  spent  her  time  in  weaving 
ents"  for  her  august  father.  One  day,  while  she 
sat  at  her  loom,  she  chanced  to  see  a  handsome  lad 
leading  an  ox,  and  she  immediately  fell  in  love  with 
him.  Tanabata's  father,  reading  her  secret  thoughts, 
speedily  consented  to  their  marriage.  Unfortunately, 
however,  they  loved  "  not  wisely,  but  too  well,"  with 
the^uesiik  that  Tanabata  neglected  her  weaving,  and 
^likobosm^  ox  was  allowed  to  wander  at  large  over 
tfuTHigirPlain  of  Heaven.  The  God  of  the  Firma- 
ment became  extremely  angry,  and  commanded  that 
these  too  ardent  lovers  should  henceforth  be  separated 
by  th£_Ce]estial  River.  On  the  seventh  night  of  the 
seventh  month,  provided  the  weather  was  favourable, 
a  great  company  of  birds  formed  a  bridge  across  the 
126 


THE  ROBE  OF  FEATHERS 

river,  and  by  this  means  the  lovers  were  able  to  meet. 
Their  all  too  brief  visit  was  not  even  a  certainty,  for 
if  there  were  rain  the  Celestial  River  would  become 
too  wide  for  even  a  great  bridge  of  magpies  to  span, 
and  the  lovers  would  be  compelled  to  wait  another 
weary  year  before  there  was  even  a  chance  of  meeting 
each  other  again. 

No  wonder  that  on  the  Festival  of  the  Weaving 
Maiden  little  children  should  sing,  "  Tenki  ni  nari" 
("  Oh,  weather,  be  clear  !  ").  Love  laughs  at  lock- 
smiths in  our  own  country,  but  the  Celestial  River  in 
flood  is  another  matter.  When  the  weather  is  fine  and 
the  Star  Lovers  meet  each  other  after  a  weary  year's 
waiting  it  is  said  that  the  stars,  possibly  Lyra  and  Aquila, 
shine  with  five  different  colours — blue,  green,  red, 
yellow,  and  white — and  that  is  why  the  poems  are 
written  on  paper  of  these  colours. 

The  Robe  of  Feathers l 

"  Oh,  magic  strains  that  fill  our  ravish'd  ears ! 
The  fairy  sings,  and  from  the  cloudy  spheres, 
Chiming  in  unison,  the  angels'  lutes, 
Tabrets,  and  cymbals,  and  sweet  silv'ry  flutes, 
Ring  through  the  heav'n  that  glows  with  purple  hues, 
As  when  Someiro's  western  slope  endues 
The  tints  of  sunset,  while  the  azure  wave 
From  isle  to  isle  the  pine-clad  shores  doth  lave. 
From  Yukishima's  slope — a  beauteous  storm — 
Whirl  down  the  flow'rs :  and  still  that  magic  form, 
Those  snowy  pinions,  fluttering  in  the  light, 
Ravish  our  souls  with  wonder  and  delight." 

Ha-Goromo.     (Trans,  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN.) 

It  was  spring-time,  and  along  Mio's  pine-clad  shore 
there  came  a  sound  of  birds.  The  blue  sea  danced  and 

1  The  subject  of  this  story  resembles  a  certain  Norse  legend.  See 
William  Morris's  The  Land  East  of  the  Sun  and  West  of  the  Moon. 

127 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

sparkled  in  the  sunshine,  and  Hairukoo,  a  fisherman, 
sat  down  to  enjoy  the  scene.  As  he  did  so  he  chanced 
to  see,  hanging  on  a  pine-tree,  a  beautiful  robe  of  pure 
white  feathers. 

As  Hairukoo  was  about  to  take  down  the  robe  he 
saw  coming  toward  him  from  the  sea  an  extremely 
lovely  maiden,  who  requested  that  the  fisherman  would 
restore  the  robe  to  her. 

Hairukoo  gazed  upon  the  lady  with  considerable 
admiration.  Said  he  :  "I  found  this  robe,  and  I  mean 
to  keep  it,  for  it  is  a  marvel  to  be  placed  among  the 
treasures  of  Japan.  No,  I  cannot  possibly  give  it  to 
you." 

"Oh,"  cried  the  maiden  pitifully,  "I  cannot  go 
soaring  into  the  sky  without  my  robe  of  feathers,  for  if 
you  persist  in  keeping  it  I  can  never  more  return  to  my 
celestial  home.  Oh,  good  fisherman,  I  beg  of  you  to 
restore  my  robe  I  " 

The  fisherman,  who  must  have  been  a  hard-hearted 
fellow,  refused  to  relent.  "The  more  you  plead,"  said 
he,  "  the  more  determined  I  am  to  keep  what  I  have 
found." 

Thus  the  maiden  made  answer  : 

"  Speak  not,  dear  fisherman  !  speak  not  that  word  ! 
Ah  !   know'st  thou  not  that,  like  the  hapless  bird 
Whose  wings  are  broke,  I  seek,  but  seek  in  vain, 
Reft  of  my  wings,  to  soar  to  heav'n's  blue  plain  ? " 

Trans,  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

After  further  argument  on  the  subject  the  fisherman's 
heart  softened  a  little.  "  I  will  restore  your  robe  of 
feathers,"  said  he,  "  if  you  will  at  once  dance  before  me." 

Then  the  maiden  replied  :  "  I  will  dance  it  here — 
the  dance  that  makes  the  Palace  of  the   Moon   turn 
round,  so  that  even  poor  transitory  man  may  learn  its 
mysteries.     But  I  cannot  dance  without  my  feathers." 
128 


THE  MOON-LADY'S  SONG 

"  No,"  said  the  fisherman  suspiciously.  "  If  I  give 
you  this  robe  you  will  fly  away  without  dancing  before 
me." 

This  remark  made  the  maiden  extremely  angry. 
"  The  pledge  of  mortals  may  be  broken,"  said  she,  "but 
there  is  no  falsehood  among  the  Heavenly  Beings." 

These  words  put  the  fisherman  to  shame,  and,  with- 
out more  ado,  he  gave  the  maiden  her  robe  of  feathers. 

The  Moon'Lady's  Song 

When  the  maiden  had  put  on  her  pure  white  garment 
she  struck  a  musical  instrument  and  began  to  dance, 
and  while  she  danced  and  played  she  sang  of  many 
strange  and  beautiful  things  concerning  her  far-away 
home  in  the  Moon.  She  sang  of  the  mighty  Palace  of 
the  Moon,  where  thirty  monarchs  ruled,  fifteen  in  robes 
of  white  when  that  shining  orb  was  full,  and  fifteen  robed 
in  black  when  the  Moon  was  waning.  As  she  sang  and 
played  and  danced  she  blessed  Japan,  "  that  earth  may 
still  her  proper  increase  yield  ! " 

The  fisherman  did  not  long  enjoy  this  kindly  exhi- 
bition of  the  Moon-Lady's  skill,  for  very  soon  her 
dainty  feet  ceased  to  tap  upon  the  sand.  She  rose  into 
the  air,  the  white  feathers  of  her  robe  gleaming  against 
the  pine-trees  or  against  the  blue  sky  itself.  Up,  up 
she  went,  still  playing  and  singing,  past  the  summits 
of  the  mountains,  higher  and  higher,  until  her  song  was 
hushed,  until  she  reached  the  glorious  Palace  of  the 
Moon. 


129 


CHAPTER  IX  :  LEGENDS  OF 
MOUNT  FUJI 

The  Mountain  of  the  Lotus  and  the  Fan 

MOUNT  FUJI,  or  Fuji-yama  ("The  Never- 
dying  Mountain "),  seems  to  be  typically 
Japanese.  Its  great  snow-capped  cone  re- 
sembles a  huge  inverted  fan,  the  fine  streaks  down  its 
sides  giving  the  appearance  of  fan-ribs.  A  native  has 
thus  fittingly  described  it :  "Fuji  dominates  life  by  its 
silent  beauty  :  sorrow  is  hushed,  longing  quieted,  peace 
seems  to  flow  down  from  that  changeless  home  of  peace, 
the  peak  of  the  white  lotus. "  The  reference  here  to  a 
white  lotus  is  as  appropriate  as  that  of  the  wide-stretched 
fan,  for  it  refers  to  the  sacred  flower  of  the  Lord 
Buddha,  and  its  eight  points  symbolise  to  the  devout 
Buddhist  the  Eight  Intelligences  of  Perception,  Purpose, 
Speech,  Conduct,  Living,  Effort,  Mindfulness,  and 
Contemplation.  The  general  effect  of  Fuji,  then, 
suggests  on  the  one  hand  religion,  and  on  the  other 
a  fan  vast  enough  and  fair  enough  to  coquet  with 
stars  and  swift-moving  clouds.  Poets  and  artists  alike 
have  paid  their  tributes  of  praise  to  this  peerless  moun- 
tain, and  we  give  the  following  exquisite  poem  on  this 
apparently  inexhaustible  theme  : 

"  Fuji  Yama, 

Touched  by  thy  divine  breath, 
We  return  to  the  shape  of  God. 
Thy  silence  is  Song, 
Thy  song  is  the  song  of  Heaven  : 
Our  land  of  fever  and  care 
Turns  to  a  home  of  mellow-eyed  ease — 
The  home  away  from  the  land 
Where  mortals  are  born  only  to  die. 
We  Japanese  daughters  and  sons, 
Chanting  of  thy  fair  majesty, 
130 


MOUNTAIN   OF   THE  LOTUS  AND  THE  FAN 

The  pride  of  God, 

Seal  our  shadows  in  thy  bosom, 

The  balmiest  place  of  eternity, 

O  white-faced  wonder, 

O  matchless  sight, 

O  sublimity,  O  Beauty  ! 

The  thousand  rivers  carry  thy  sacred  image 

On  their  brows ; 

All  the  mountains  raise  their  heads  unto  thee 

Like  the  flowing  tide, 

As  if  to  hear  thy  final  command. 

Behold !  the  seas  surrounding  Japan 

Lose  their  hungry-toothed  song  and  wolfish  desire, 

Kissed  by  lullaby-humming  repose, 

At  sight  of  thy  shadow, 

As  one  in  a  dream  of  poem. 

We  being  round  thee  forget  to  die  : 

Death  is  sweet, 

Life  is  sweeter  than  Death. 

We  are  mortals  and  also  gods, 

Innocent  companions  of  thine, 

O  eternal  Fuji  !  " 

Tone  Noguchi. 

Mount  Fuji  has  been  a  place  of  pilgrimage  for 
hundreds  of  years,  and  Lafcadio  Hearn  has  described 
its  peak  as  "the  Supreme  Altar  of  the  Sun."  Many 
pilgrims  still  cling  to  the  old  Shinto  custom  of  ascend- 
ing this  sacred  mountain,  wearing  white  clothes  and  very 
broad  straw  hats,  and  frequently  ringing  a  bell  and 
chanting  :  "  May  our  six  senses  be  pure,  and  the 
weather  on  the  honourable  mountain  be  fair." 

Fuji  was  at  one  time  an  extremely  active  volcano. 
Her  final  outbreak  took  place  in  1707-8,  and  covered 
Tokyo,  sixty  miles  distant,  with  six  inches  of  ash.  The 
very  name  Fuji  is  probably  derived  from  Huchi,  or 
Fuchi,  the  Aino  Goddess  of  Fire  ;  "  for,"  writes  Pro- 
fessor Chamberlain,  "  down  to  times  almost  historical 
the  country  round  Fuji  formed  part  of  Aino-land,  and 
all  Eastern  Japan  is  strewn  with  names  of  Aino  origin." 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

The  Deities  of  Fuji 

Sengen,  the  Goddess  of  Fuji,  is  also  known  as  Ko-no- 
hana-saku-ya-hime l  ("  Radiant-blooming-as-the-flowers- 
of-the-trees "),  and  on  the  summit  is  her  temple.  In 
ancient  days  it  is  said  that  this  Goddess  hovered  in  a 
luminous  cloud  above  the  crater,  tended  by  invisible 
servants,  who  were  prepared  to  throw  down  any  pilgrims 
who  were  not  pure  of  heart.  Another  deity  of  this 
mountain  is  O-ana-mochi  ("  Possessor  of  the  Great 
Hole,"  or  "  Crater ' ').  In  addition  we  have  the  Luminous 
Maiden,  who  lured  a  certain  emperor  to  his  doom.  At 
the  place  of  his  vanishing  a  small  shrine  was  erected, 
where  he  is  still  worshipped.  It  is  said  that  on  one 
occasion  a  shower  of  priceless  jewels  fell  down  from 
this  mountain,  and  that  the  sand  which  during  the  day 
is  disturbed  by  the  feet  of  countless  pilgrims  falls  to  the 
base  and  nightly  reascends  to  its  former  position. 

Fuji,  the  Abode  of  the  Elixir  of  Life 

It  is  not  surprising  to  find  that  legend  has  grown 
round  this  venerable  and  venerated  mountain.  Like  so 
many  mountains  in  Japan,  and,  indeed,  in  other  Eastern 
countries,  it  was  associated  with  the  Elixir  of  Life.  The 
Japanese  poet's  words,  "  We  being  round  thee  forget 
to  die,"  though  written  in  recent  years,  seem  to  reflect  the 
old  idea.  We  have  already  seen,  in  the  legend  of  "  The 
Bamboo-cutter  and  the  Moon-Maiden,"  that  Tsuki  was 
commanded  by  the  Lady  Kaguya  to  ascend  Fuji  and 
there  burn  the  Elixir  of  Life,  together  with  a  certain 
scroll. 

The  fame  of  Fuji,  so  an  old  legend  informs  us, 
reached  the  ears  of  an  Emperor  of  China.  When  he 
was  told  that  this  mountain  had  come  into  being  in  a 

1  She  married  Ninigi,  and  is  referred  to  in  Chapter  I. 
132 


THE  LAND  OF  PERPETUAL  YOUTH 

single  night1  he  conjectured  that  Mount  Fuji  must 
needs  yield  the  Elixir  of  Life  itself.  He  accordingly 
collected  about  him  a  number  of  handsome  youths  and 
maidens  and  set  sail  for  the  Land  of  the  Rising  Sun. 
The  junks  rushed  before  the  roaring  wind  like  a  shower 
of  gold  petals  ;  but  eventually  the  storm  abated,  and 
the  Emperor  and  his  people  saw  the  white  splendour 
of  Fuji  rise  up  before  them.  When  the  junks  had  run 
in  upon  the  shore  the  Emperor  formed  his  company  in 
procession,  and,  walking  very  slowly,  led  the  way  up 
the  mountain.  Hour  after  hour  the  procession  climbed, 
the  gold-robed  Emperor  ever  walking  in  advance,  until 
the  sound  of  the  sea  was  lost,  and  the  thousand  feet 
trod  softly  on  the  snow  where  there  was  peace  and  life 
eternal.  Nearing  the  journey's  end,  the  old  Emperor 
ran  forward  joyously,  for  he  wanted  to  be  the  first  to 
drink  of  the  Elixir  of  Life.  And  he  was  the  first  to 
taste  of  that  Life  that  never  grows  old  ;  but  when  the 
company  found  him  they  saw  their  Emperor  lying  on 
his  back  with  a  smile  upon  his  face.  He  had  indeed 
found  Life  Eternal,  but  it  was  through  the  way  of 
Death. 

Sentaro's  Visit  to  the  Land  of  Perpetual  Youth 

The  desire  to  wrest  from  Mount  Fuji  the  secret  of 
perpetual  life  never  seems  to  have  met  with  success. 
A  Chinese,  Jofuku  by  name,  reached  the  sacred  moun- 
tain with  this  object  in  view.  He  failed,  and  never 
lived  to  return  to  his  own  country  ;  but  he  is  looked 
upon  as  a  saint,  and  those  bound  on  the  same  quest 
pray  earnestly  at  his  shrine. 

Sentaro  on  one  occasion  prayed  at  this  shrine,  and 
was  presented  with  a  small  paper  crane,  which  expanded 
to  a  vast  size  directly  it  had  reached  his  hands.  On 

1   See  the  last  section  of  this  chapter. 

133 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

the  back  of  this  great  crane  flew  Sentaro  to  the  Land  of 
Perpetual  Youth,  where,  to  his  amazement,  the  people 
ate  poisons  and  longed  in  vain  to  die  !  Sentaro  soon 
grew  weary  of  this  land,  returned  to  his  own  country, 
and  resolved  to  be  content  with  the  ordinary  span  of 
years  allotted  to  mankind — as  well  he  may  have  been, 
considering  that  he  had  already  spent  three  hundred 
years  in  the  country  where  there  was  no  death  and  no 
birth. 

The  Goddess  of  Fuji 

Yosoji's  mother,  in  common  with  many  in  the  village 
where  she  lived,  was  stricken  down  with  smallpox. 
Yosoji  consulted  the  magician  Kamo  Yamakiko  in  the 
matter,  for  his  mother  grew  so  ill  that  every  hour  he 
expected  her  to  be  taken  from  him  in  death.  Kamo 
Yamakiko  told  Yosoji  to  go  to  a  small  stream  that 
flowed  from  the  south-west  side  of  Mount  Fuji.  "Near 
the  source  of  this  stream,"  said  the  magician,  "is  a 
shrine  to  the  God  of  Long  Breath.  Go  fetch  this  water, 
and  give  it  to  your  mother,  for  this  alone  will  cure  her." 

Yosoji,  full  of  hope,  eagerly  set  forth  upon  his  journey, 
and  when  he  had  arrived  at  a  spot  where  three  paths 
crossed  each  other  he  was  in  difficulty  as  to  the  right 
one  to  take.  Just  as  he  was  debating  the  matter  a 
lovely  girl,  clad  in  white,  stepped  out  from  the  forest, 
and  bade  him  follow  her  to  the  place  where  the  precious 
stream  flowed  near  the  shrine  of  the  God  of  Long  Breath. 

When  they  reached  the  stream  Yosoji  was  told  to 
drink  himself,  as  well  as  to  fill  the  gourd  with  the 
sparkling  water  for  his  mother.  When  he  had  done 
these  things  the  beautiful  girl  accompanied  him  to  the 
place  where  he  had  originally  seen  her,  and  said  : "  Meet 
me  again  at  this  place  in  three  days'  time,  for  you  will 
require  a  further  supply  of  this  water." 


Sengen,  the  Goddess  of  Mount  Fuji.  134 


THE  GODDESS  OF  FUJI 

After  five  visits  to  this  sacred  shrine  Yosoji  rejoiced 
to  find  that  his  mother  was  quite  well  again,  and  not 
only  his  mother,  but  many  of  the  villagers  who  had  also 
been  privileged  to  drink  the  water.  Yosoji's  bravery 
was  loudly  extolled,  and  presents  were  sent  to  the 
magician  for  his  timely  advice ;  but  Yosoji,  who  was  an 
honest  lad,  knew  in  his  heart  that  all  praise  was  really 
due  to  the  beautiful  girl  who  had  been  his  guide.  He 
desired  to  thank  her  more  fully  than  he  had  hitherto  done, 
and  for  this  purpose  he  once  more  set  out  for  the  stream. 

When  Yosoji  reached  the  shrine  of  the  God  of  Long 
Breath  he  found  that  the  stream  had  dried  up.  With 
much  surprise  and  not  a  little  sorrow  he  knelt  down 
and  prayed  that  she  who  had  been  so  good  to  his 
mother  would  appear  before  him  in  order  that  he 
might  thank  her  as  she  so  richly  deserved.  When 
Yosoji  arose  he  saw  the  maiden  standing  before  him. 

Yosoji  expressed  his  gratitude  in  warm  and  elegant 
language,  and  begged  to  be  told  the  name  of  her  who 
had  been  his  guide  and  restored  his  mother  to  health 
and  strength  again.  But  the  maiden,  smiling  sweetly 
upon  him,  would  not  tell  her  name.  Still  smiling,  she 
swung  a  branch  of  camellia  in  the  air,  so  that  it  seemed 
that  the  fair  blossom  beckoned  to  some  invisible  spirit 
far  away.  In  answer  to  the  floral  summons  a  cloud 
came  down  from  Mount  Fuji ;  it  enveloped  the  lovely 
maiden,  and  carried  her  to  the  sacred  mountain  from 
which  she  had  come.  Yosoji  knew  now  that  his  guide 
was  none  other  than  the  Goddess  of  Fuji.  He  knelt 
with  rapture  upon  his  face  as  he  watched  the  departing 
figure.  As  he  gazed  upon  her  he  knew  in  his  heart 
that  with  his  thanks  love  had  mingled  too.  While  he 
yet  knelt  the  Goddess  of  Fuji  threw  down  the  branch 
of  camellia,  a  remembrance,  perhaps  a  token,  of  her 
love  for  him. 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

The  Rip  van  Winkle  of  Old  Japan 

We  have  already  referred  to  the  coming  of  Fuji  in  a 
single  night,  and  the  following  legend  gives  an  account 
of  this  remarkable  event.  We  have  added  to  this  legend 
another,  which  is  probably  of  Chinese  origin,  because 
the  two  fit  in  well  together  and  furnish  interesting 
material  in  regard  to  this  mountain. 

Many  years  ago  there  lived  on  the  then  barren  plain 
of  Suruga  a  woodman  by  the  name  of  Visu.  He  was 
a  giant  in  stature,  and  lived  in  a  hut  with  his  wife  and 
children.  One  night,  just  as  Visu  was  about  to  fall 
asleep,  he  heard  a  most  extraordinary  sound  coming 
from  under  the  earth,  a  sound  louder  and  more  terrible 
than  thunder.  Visu,  thinking  that  he  and  his  family 
were  about  to  be  destroyed  by  an  earthquake,  hastily 
snatched  up  the  younger  children  and  rushed  to  the 
door  of  the  hut,  where  he  saw  a  most  wonderful  sight. 
Instead  of  the  once  desolate  plain  he  perceived  a  great 
mountain  from  whose  head  sprang  tongues  of  flame 
and  dense  clouds  of  smoke  !  So  glorious  was  the  sight 
of  this  mountain  that  had  run  under  the  earth  for  two 
hundred  miles  and  then  suddenly  sprung  forth  on  the 
plain  of  Suruga  that  Visu,  his  wife  and  family,  sat  down 
on  the  ground  as  if  under  a  spell.  When  the  sun  rose 
the  next  morning  Visu  saw  that  the  mountain  had  put 
on  robes  of  opal.  It  seemed  so  impressive  to  him  that 
he  called  it  Fuji-yama  ("The  Never-dying  Mountain  "), 
and  so  it  is  called  to  this  day.  Such  perfect  beauty 
suggested  to  the  woodman  the  eternal,  an  idea  which 
no  doubt  gave  rise  to  the  Elixir  of  Life  so  frequently 
associated  with  this  mountain. 

Day  after  day  Visu  sat  and  gazed  upon  Fuji,  and  was 
just  conjecturing  how  nice  it  would  be  for  so  imposing 
a  mountain  to  be  able  to  see  her  loveliness,  when 
136 


THE  ADVENTURES  OF  VISU 

a  great  lake  suddenly  stretched  before  him,  shaped  like 
a  lute,  and  so  called  Biwa.1 

The  Adventures  of  Visu 

One  day  Visu  received  a  visit  from  an  old  priest, 
who  said  to  him  :  "  Honourable  woodman,  I  am  afraid 
you  never  pray."  Visu  replied  :  "If  you  had  a  wife 
and  a  large  family  to  keep  you  would  never  have  time 
to  pray."  This  remark  made  the  priest  angry,  and 
the  old  man  gave  the  woodcutter  a  vivid  description 
of  the  horror  of  being  reborn  as  a  toad,  or  a  mouse, 
or  an  insect  for  millions  of  years.  Such  lurid  details 
were  not  to  Visu's  liking,  and  he  accordingly  promised 
the  priest  that  in  future  he  would  pray.  "  Work  and 
pray,"  said  the  priest  as  he  took  his  departure. 

Unfortunately  Visu  did  nothing  but  pray.  He 
prayed  all  day  long  and  refused  to  do  any  work,  so 
that  his  rice  crops  withered  and  his  wife  and  family 
starved.  Visu's  wife,  who  had  hitherto  never  said  a 
harsh  or  bitter  word  to  her  husband,  now  became 
extremely  angry,  and,  pointing  to  the  poor  thin  bodies 
of  her  children,  she  exclaimed  :  "  Rise,  Visu,  take  up 
your  axe  and  do  something  more  helpful  to  us  all 
than  the  mere  mumbling  of  prayers  !  " 

Visu  was  so  utterly  amazed  at  what  his  wife  had 
said  that  it  was  some  time  before  he  could  think  of  a 
fitting  reply.  When  he  did  so  his  words  came  hot 
and  strong  to  the  ears  of  his  poor,  much-wronged  wife. 

1  There  is  some  confusion  here,  for  in  actual  fact  Lake  Biwa  is  a 
hundred  and  forty  miles  distant  from  Fuji — too  great  a  distance, 
one  would  imagine,  for  even  a  miraculous  mountain  to  look  into. 
Legend  asserts  that  Fuji  came  from  the  earth  in  a  single  night,  while 
Lake  Biwa  sank  simultaneously.  Professor  Chamberlain  writes : 
"  May  we  not  have  here  an  echo  of  some  early  eruption,  which 
resulted  in  the  formation,  not  indeed  of  Lake  Biwa  .  .  .  but  of 
one  of  the  numerous  small  lakes  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  ?  " 

'37 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

"  Woman,"  said  he,  "  the  Gods  come  first.  You  are 
an  impertinent  creature  to  speak  to  me  so,  and  I  will 
have  nothing  more  to  do  with  you  ! "  Visu  snatched 
up  his  axe  and,  without  looking  round  to  say  farewell, 
he  left  the  hut,  strode  out  of  the  wood,  and  climbed 
up  Fuji-yama,  where  a  mist  hid  him  from  sight. 

When  Visu  had  seated  himself  upon  the  mountain 
he  heard  a  soft  rustling  sound,  and  immediately  after- 
ward saw  a  fox  dart  into  a  thicket.  Now  Visu  deemed 
it  extremely  lucky  to  see  a  fox,  and,  forgetting  his 
prayers,  he  sprang  up,  and  ran  hither  and  thither  in 
the  hope  of  again  finding  this  sharp-nosed  little 
creature.  He  was  about  to  give  up  the  chase  when, 
coming  to  an  open  space  in  a  wood,  he  saw  two 
ladies  sitting  down  by  a  brook  playing  go.1  The 
woodman  was  so  completely  fascinated  that  he  could 
do  nothing  but  sit  down  and  watch  them.  There  was 
no  sound  except  the  soft  click  of  pieces  on  the  board 
and  the  song  of  the  running  brook.  The  ladies  took 
no  notice  of  Visu,  for  they  seemed  to  be  playing  a 
strange  game  that  had  no  end,  a  game  that  entirely 
absorbed  their  attention.  Visu  could  not  keep  his 
eyes  off  these  fair  women.  He  watched  their  long 
black  hair  and  the  little  quick  hands  that  shot  out 
now  and  again  from  their  big  silk  sleeves  in  order 
to  move  the  pieces.  After  he  had  been  sitting  there 
for  three  hundred  years,  though  to  him  it  was  but  a 
summer's  afternoon,  he  saw  that  one  of  the  players 
had  made  a  false  move.  "  Wrong^  most  lovely  lady  !  " 
he  exclaimed  excitedly.  In  a  moment  these  women 
turned  into  foxes 2  and  ran  away. 

When  Visu  attempted  to  pursue  them  he  found  to 

1  A  game  introduced  from  China  resembling  chess,  but  a  more 
complicated  variety  than  the  game  with  which  we  are  familiar. 

2  Fox  legends  have  been  fully  described  in  Chapter  V. 
138 


Visu  on  Mount  Fuji-yama.  138 


VISITS  RETURN 

his  horror  that  his  limbs  were  terribly  stiff,  that  his 
hair  was  very  long,  and  that  his  beard  touched  the 
ground.  He  discovered,  moreover,  that  the  handle 
of  his  axe,  though  made  of  the  hardest  wood,  had 
crumbled  away  into  a  little  heap  of  dust. 

Visu's  Return 

After  many  painful  efforts  Visu  was  able  to  stand  on 
his  feet  and  proceed  very  slowly  toward  his  little  home. 
When  he  reached  the  spot  he  was  surprised  to  see 
no  hut,  and,  perceiving  a  very  old  woman,  he  said  : 
"  Good  lady,  I  am  amazed  to  find  that  my  little  home 
has  disappeared.  I  went  away  this  afternoon,  and  now 
in  the  evening  it  has  vanished !  " 

The  old  woman,  who  believed  that  a  madman  was 
addressing  her,  inquired  his  name.  When  she  was 
told,  she  exclaimed  :  "  Bah  !  you  must  indeed  be  mad  ! 
Visu  lived  three  hundred  years  ago  !  He  went  away 
one  day,  and  he  never  came  back  again." 

"  Three  hundred  years  I  "  murmured  Visu.  "  It  can- 
not be  possible.  Where  are  my  dear  wife  and  children  ?  " 

"  Buried  !  "  hissed  the  old  woman,  "  and,  if  what 
you  say  is  true,  your  children's  children  too.  The 
Gods  have  prolonged  your  miserable  life  in  punishment 
for  having  neglected  your  wife  and  little  children.1' 

Big  tears  ran  down  Visu's  withered  cheeks  as  he 
said  in  a  husky  voice  :  "  I  have  lost  my  manhood. 
I  have  prayed  when  my  dear  ones  starved  and  needed 
the  labour  of  my  once  strong  hands.  Old  woman, 
remember  my  last  words:  if  you  pray  ^  work  too  I  " 

We  do  not  know  how  long  the  poor  but  repentant 
Visu  lived  after  he  returned  from  his  strange  adven- 
tures. His  white  spirit  is  still  said  to  haunt  Fuji- 
yama when  the  moon  shines  brightly. 

'39 


CHAPTER  X  :  BELLS 

The  Bell  of  Enkakuji 

JAPANESE  bells  are  among  the  finest  in  the 
world,  for  in  their  size,  construction,  and  decora- 
tion the  bell-maker  of  Nippon  has  reached  a  high 
level  of  efficiency.  The  largest  bell  in  Japan  belongs 
to  the  Jodo  temple  of  Chion,  at  Kyoto.  It  weighs 
seventy-four  tons,  and  requires  seventy-five  men  to 
ring  it  in  order  to  get  the  full  effect  from  this  great 
mass  of  metal.  The  bell  of  Enkakuji  is  the  largest 
bell  in  Kamakura.  It  dates  from  the  beginning  of  the 
thirteenth  century,  and  is  six  inches  thick,  four  feet 
seven  inches  in  diameter,  and  about  eight  feet  high. 
This  bell,  unlike  our  own,  is  the  same  diameter  from 
top  to  bottom,  a  feature  common  to  all  big  Japanese 
bells.  It  is  rung  by  means  of  a  beam  suspended 
from  the  roof,  and  from  the  beam  hangs  a  rope. 
When  the  beam  is  set  swinging  with  sufficient  velocity 
it  strikes  a  lotus-moulding  on  the  side  of  the  bell,  and 
a  great  note  quivers  forth,  "  deep  as  thunder,  rich  as 
the  bass  of  a  mighty  organ." 

The  Return  of  Ono-no*Kimi 

When  Ono-no-Kimi  died  he  went  before  the  Judg- 
ment Seat  of  Emma-O,  the  Judge  of  Souls,  and  was  told 
by  that  dread  deity  that  he  had  quitted  earthly  life  too 
soon,  and  that  he  must  at  once  return.  Ono-no- 
Kimi  pleaded  that  he  could  not  retrace  Jhis  steps,  as 
he  did  not  know  the  way.  Then  Emma-O  said  :  "By 
listening  to  the  bell  of  Enkakuji  you  will  be  able  to  find 
your  way  into  the  world  again."  And  Ono-no-Kimi 
went  forth  from  the  Judgment  Seat,  and,  with  the  sound 
of  the  bell  for  guidance,  once  more  found  himself  in 
his  old  home. 
140 


A  WOMAN  AND  THE  BELL  OF  MIIDERA 

The  Giant  Priest 

On  one  occasion  it  is  said  that  a  priest  of  giant  stature 
was  seen  in  the  country,  and  no  one  knew  his  name  or 
whence  he  had  come.  With  unceasing  zest  he  travelled 
up  and  down  the  land,  from  village  to  village,  from 
town  to  town,  exhorting  the  people  to  pray  before  the 
bell  of  Enkakuji.  It  was  eventually  discovered  that 
this  giant  priest  was  none  other  than  a  personification 
of  the  holy  bell  itself.  This  extraordinary  news  had  its 
effect,  for  numerous  people  now  flocked  to  the  bell  of 
Enkakuji,  prayed,  and  returned  with  many  a  wish 
fulfilled.  On  another  occasion  this  sacred  bell  is  said 
to  have  sounded  a  deep  note  of  its  own  accord.  Those 
who  were  incredulous  and  laughed  at  the  miracle  met 
with  calamity,  and  those  who  believed  in  the  miraculous 
power  of  the  sacred  bell  were  rewarded  with  much 
prosperity. 

A  Woman  and  the  Bell  of  Miidera 

In  the  ancient  monastery  of  Miidera  there  was  a 
great  bronze  bell.  It  rang  out  every  morning  and 
evening,  a  clear,  rich  note,  and  its  surface  shone  like 
sparkling  dew.  The  priests  would  not  allow  any  woman 
to  strike  it,  because  they  thought  that  such  an  action 
would  pollute  and  dull  the  metal,  as  well  as  bring 
calamity  upon  them. 

When  a  certain  pretty  woman  who  lived  in  Kyoto 
heard  this  she  grew  extremely  inquisitive,  and  at  last, 
unable  to  restrain  her  curiosity,  she  said :  "  I  will  go 
and  see  this  wonderful  bell  of  Miidera.  I  will  make  it 
sound  forth  a  soft  note,  and  in  its  shining  surface, 
bigger  and  brighter  than  a  thousand  mirrors,  I  will 
paint  and  powder  my  face  and  dress  my  hair." 

At  length  this  vain  and  irreverent  woman  reached 

141 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

the  belfry  in  which  the  great  bell  was  suspended  at  a 
time  when  all  were  absorbed  in  their  sacred  duties. 
She  looked  into  the  gleaming  bell  and  saw  her  pretty 
eyes,  flushed  cheeks,  and  laughing  dimples.  Presently 
she  stretched  forth  her  little  fingers,  lightly  touched  the 
shining  metal,  and  prayed  that  she  might  have  as  great 
and  splendid  a  mirror  for  her  own.  When  the  bell  felt 
this  woman's  fingers,  the  bronze  that  she  touched 
shrank,  leaving  a  little  hollow,  and  losing  at  the  same 
time  all  its  exquisite  polish. 

Benkei  and  the  Bell 

Benkei,1  the  faithful  retainer  ot  Yoshitsune,  may  be 
fittingly  described  as  the  strong  man  of  Old  Japan.  His 
strength  was  prodigious,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  following 
legend. 

When  Benkei  was  a  monk  he  very  much  desired 
to  steal  the  bell  of  Miidera,  and  bring  it  to  his  own 
monastery.  He  accordingly  visited  Miidera,  and,  at  an 
opportune  moment,  unhooked  the  great  bell.  Benkei's 
first  thought  was  to  roll  it  down  the  hill,  and  thus  save 
himself  the  trouble  of  carrying  such  a  huge  piece  of 
metal ;  but,  thinking  that  the  monks  would  hear  the 
noise,  he  was  forced  to  set  about  carrying  it  down  the 
steep  incline.  He  accordingly  pulled  out  the  cross- 
beam from  the  belfry,  suspended  the  bell  at  one  end, 
and — humorous  touch — his  paper  lantern  at  the  other,2 
and  in  this  manner  he  carried  his  mighty  burden  for 
nearly  seven  miles. 

When  Benkei  reached  his  temple  he  at  once  de- 
manded food.  He  managed  to  get  through  a  concoc- 
tion which  filled  an  iron  soup-pot  five  feet  in  diameter, 

1  See  Chapter  II. 

2  Hence  the  Japanese  saying :  "  Lantern  and  bell,  which  is  the 
heavier  ? " 

142 


KARMA 

and  when  he  had  finished  he  gave  permission  for  a  few 
priests  to  strike  the  stolen  bell  of  Miidera.  The  bell 
was  struck,  but  in  its  dying  murmur  it  seemed  to  cry  : 
"  I  want  to  go  back  to  Miidera  !  I  want  to  go  back  to 
Miidera  1" 

When  the  priests  heard  this  they  were  amazed.  The 
abbot,  however,  thought  that  if  the  bell  were  sprinkled 
with  holy  water  it  would  become  reconciled  to  its  new 
abode  ;  but  in  spite  of  holy  water  the  bell  still  sobbed 
forth  its  plaintive  and  provoking  cry.  No  one  was 
more  displeased  by  the  sound  than  Benkei  himself.  It 
seemed  that  the  bell  mocked  him  and  that  arduous 
journey  of  his.  At  last,  exasperated  beyond  endurance, 
he  rushed  to  the  rope,  strained  it  till  the  beam  was  far 
from  the  great  piece  of  metal,  then  let  it  go,  hoping 
that  the  force  of  the  swift-rushing  beam  would  crack 
such  a  peevish  and  ill-bred  bell.  The  whirling  wood 
reached  the  bell  with  a  terrific  crash  ;  but  it  did  not 
break.  Through  the  air  rang  again  :  "  I  want  to  go 
back  to  Miidera !  "  and  whether  the  bell  was  struck 
harshly  or  softly  it  always  spoke  the  same  words. 

At  last  Benkei,  now  in  a  towering  rage,  shouldered 
the  bell  and  beam,  and,  coming  to  the  top  of  a  mountain, 
he  set  down  his  burden,  and,  with  a  mighty  kick,  sent  it 
rolling  into  the  valley  beneath.  Some  time  later  the 
Miidera  priests  found  their  precious  bell,  and  joyfully 
hung  it  in  its  accustomed  place,  and  from  that  time  it 
failed  to  speak,  and  only  rang  like  other  temple  bells. 

Karma 

The  power  of  Karma  is  one  of  the  great  Buddhist 
doctrines,  and  many  are  the  stories,  both  true  and 
legendary,  told  in  connection  with  this  theme.  Of  the 
former  Lafcadio  Hearn  in  "  Kokoro  "  narrates  the  pitiful 
tale  of  a  priest  who  had  the  misfortune  to  attract  the 

H3 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

love  of  many  women.  Rather  than  yield  to  their  solicita- 
tions he  committed  suicide  by  kneeling  in  the  middle 
of  a  railway  track  and  allowing  an  express  train  to  put 
an  end  to  his  temptations. 

The  story  of  "  The  Bamboo-cutter  and  the  Moon- 
Maiden  "  gives  us  another  representation  of  the  work- 
ing out  of  Karma.  The  Lady  Kaguya  was  banished 
from  her  home  in  the  moon  owing  to  indulgence  in 
some  sensual  passion.  In  her  exile  it  will  be  re- 
membered that  her  weakness  was  vanquished,  and  that 
she  steadfastly  resisted  this  particular  sin  during  her 
earthly  sojourn. 

Karma  by  no  means  represents  exclusively  the  power 
of  evil  thought,  though  it  is  most  commonly  applied  to 
the  human  passions.  In  its  fuller  meaning  it  signifies 
cause  and  effect — all  thoughts,  all  actions  that  are  not 
spiritual,  for  by  the  working  of  Karma,  according  to 
Buddhist  teaching,  is  the  world  and  all  it  contains 
fashioned.  The  desire  to  be  is  Karma.  The  desire 
not  to  be  is  the  breaking  of  the  great  wheel  of  birth 
and  rebirth,  and  the  attainment  of  Nirvana. 

There  are  Japanese  lovers  who,  owing  to  circum- 
stance, are  unable  to  marry  ;  but  they  do  not  blame 
circumstance.  They  regard  their  misfortune  as  the  re- 
sult of  an  error  in  a  previous  existence,  such  as  break- 
ing their  promise  to  wed,  or  because  they  were  cruel  to 
each  other.  Such  lovers  believe  that  if  they  bind  them- 
selves together  with  an  under-girdle  and  spring  into  a 
river  or  lake  they  will  become  united  in  their  next  birth. 
This  suicide  of  Japanese  lovers  is  called  jvshi,  which 
means  "love-death"  or  "passion-death."  Buddhism 
is  strongly  opposed  to  self-destruction,  and  no  less  to  a 
love  of  this  kind,  for  \njvshi  there  is  no  desire  to  destroy, 
but  rather  to  foster,  the  power  of  Karma.  Such  lovers 
may  be  united,  but  in  the  teaching  of  the  Lord  Buddha 
144 


A  BELL  AND  THE  POWER  OF  KARMA 

a  union  of  this  kind  is  a  delusion,  while  Nirvana  alone 
is  worth  striving  for.  We  read  in  the  Ralana  Sutra : 
"  Their  old  Karma  is  exhausted,  no  new  Karma  is  being 
produced  :  their  hearts  are  free  from  the  longing  after 
future  life  ;  the  cause  of  their  existence  being  destroyed, 
and  no  new  yearnings  springing  up  within  them,  they, 
the  wise,  are  extinguished  like  this  lamp." 

A  Bell  and  the  Power  of  Karma 

"There  are  various  paths  leading  to  the  attainment  of 
complete  happiness.  When  we  find  ourselves  upon  the 
wrong  one  it  is  our  duty  to  quit  it." 

BAKIN. 

Near  the  banks  of  the  Hidaka  there  once  stood  a  far- 
famed  tea-house  nestling  amid  lovely  scenery  beside  a 
hill  called  the  Dragon's  Claw.  The  fairest  girl  in  this 
tea-house  was  Kiyo,  for  she  was  like  "  the  fragrance  of 
white  lilies,  when  the  wind,  sweeping  down  the  mountain 
heights,  comes  perfume-laden  to  the  traveller." 

Across  the  river  stood  a  Buddhist  temple  where  the 
abbot  and  a  number  of  priests  lived  a  simple  and  devout 
life.  In  the  belfry  of  this  temple  reposed  a  great  bell, 
six  inches  thick  and  weighing  several  tons.  It  was  one 
of  the  monastery  rules  that  none  of  the  priests  should 
eat  fish  or  meat  or  drink  sake,  and  they  were  especially 
forbidden  to  stop  at  tea-houses,  lest  they  should  lose 
their  spirituality  and  fall  into  the  sinful  ways  of  the  flesh. 

One  of  the  priests,  however,  on  returning  from  a 
certain  shrine,  happened  to  see  the  pretty  Kiyo,  flitting 
hither  and  thither  in  the  tea-garden,  like  a  large,  bright- 
winged  butterfly.  He  stood  and  watched  her  for  a 
moment,  sorely  tempted  to  enter  the  garden  and  speak 
to  this  beautiful  creature,  but,  remembering  his  priestly 
calling,  he  crossed  the  river  and  entered  his  temple. 
That  night,  however,  he  could  not  sleep.  The  fever 

K  H5 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 
of  a  violent  love  had  come  upon  him.  He  fingered 
his  rosary  and  repeated  passages  from  the  Buddhist 
Scriptures,  but  these  things  brought  him  no  peace  of 
mind.  Through  all  his  pious  thoughts  there  ever 
shone  the  winsome  face  of  Kiyo,  and  it  seemed  to  him 
that  she  was  calling  from  that  fair  garden  across  the 
river. 

His  burning  love  grew  so  intense  that  it  was  not 
long  before  he  stifled  his  religious  feelings,  broke  one 
of  the  temple  rules,  and  catered  the  forbidden  tea- 
. house.  Here  he  entirely  forgot  his  religion,  or  found 
a  new'  one  iri"  contemplating  the  Beautiful  Kiyo,  who 
brought  him  refreshment.  Night  after  night  he  crept 
across  the  river  and  fell  under  the  spell  of  this 
woman.  She  returned  his  love  with  equal  passion,  so 
that  for  the  moment  it  appeared  to  this  erring  priest 
that  he  had  found  in  a  woman's  charms  something  far 
sweeter  than  the  possibility  of  attaining  Nirvana. 

After  the  priest  had  seen  Kiyo  on  many  nights 
conscience  began  to  stir  within  him  and  to  do  battle 
with  his  unholy  love.  The  power  of  Karma  and  the 
teaching  of  the  Lord  Buddha  struggled  within  his 
breast.  It  was  a  fierce  conflict,  but  in  the  end  passion 
was  vanquished,  though,  as  we  shall  learn,  not  its 
awful  consequences.  The  priest,  having  stamped  out 
his  carnal  love,  deemed  it  wise  to  deal  with  Kiyo  as 
circumspectly  as  possible,  lest  his  sudden  change  should 
make  her  angry. 

When  Kiyo  saw  the  priest  after  his  victory  over  the 
flesh  she  observed  the  far-away  look  in  his  eyes  and 
the  ascetic  calm  that  now  rested  upon  his  face.  She 
redoubled  her  feminine  wiles,  determined  either  to 
make  the  priest  love  her  again,  or,  failing  that,  to  put 
him  to  a  cruel  death  by  sorcery. 

All  Kiyo's  blandishments  failed  to  awaken  love 
146 


Kiyo  and  the  Priest. 


•46 


A  BELL  AND  THE  POWER  OF  KARMA 

within  the  priest's  heart,  and,  thinking  only  of  vengeance, 
she  set  out,  arrayed  in  a  white  robe,  and  went  to  a 
certain  mountain  where  there  was  a  Fudo1  shrine. 
Fudo  sat,  surrounded  by  fire,  a  sword  in  one  hand  and 
a  small  coil  of  rope  in  the  other.  Here  Kiyo  prayed 
with  fearful  vehemence  that  this  hideous-looking  God 
would  show  her  how  to  kill  the  priest  who  had  once 
loved  her. 

From  Fudo  she  went  to  the  shrine  of  Kompira,2 
who  has  the  knowledge  of  magic  and  is  able  to  teach 
sorcery.  Here  she  begged  that  she  might  have  the 
power  to  turn  herself  at  will  into  a  dragon-serpent. 
After  many  visits  a  long-nosed  sprite  (probably  a 
tengu\  who  waited  upon  Kompira,  taught  Kiyo  all  the 
mysteries  of  magic  and  sorcery.  He  taught  this  once 
sweet  girl  how  to  change  herself  into  the  awful  creature 
she  desired  to  be  for  the  purpose  of  a  cruel  vengeance. 

Still  the  priest  visited  Kiyo ;  but  no  longer  was  he 
the  lover.  By  many  exhortations  he  tried  to  stay  the 
passion  of  this  maiden  he  once  loved  ;  but  these  priestly 
discourses  only  made  Kiyo  more  determined  to  win 
the  victory  in  the  end.  She  wept,  she  pleaded,  she 
wound  her  fair  arms  about  him  ;  but  none  of  her 
allurements  had  the  slightest  effect,  except  to  drive 
away  the  priest  for  the  last  time. 

Just  as  the  priest  was  about  to  take  his  departure 
he  was  horrified  to  see  Kiyo's  eyes  suddenly  turn  into 

1  Fudo  is  not,  as  is  generally  supposed,  the  God  of  Fire,  but  is 
identified,  according  to  Sir  Ernest  Satow,  with  Dainichi,  the  God  of 
Wisdom.     It  is  not  quite  clear  why  Kiyo  visited  Fudo,  whose  sacred 
sword  symbolises  wisdom,  while  his  fire  represents  power,  and  the 
coil  of  rope  that  which  binds  the  passions. 

2  Kompira  was  originally  an  Indian  God,  which  the  mediaeval 
Shintoists  identified  with  Susa-no-o,  brother  of  the  Sun  Goddess, 
who,  as  we  have  already  seen,  would  be  only  too  pleased  to  lend 
himself  to  mischief. 

'47 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 
those  of  a  serpent.     With  a  shriek  of  fear  he  ran  out 
of  the   tea-garden,   swam    across   the  river,   and    hid 
himself  inside  the  great  temple  bell. 

Kiyo  raised  her  magic  wand,  murmured  a  certain 
incantation,  and  in  a  moment  the  sweet  face  and  form 
of  this  lovely  maiden  became  transformed  into  that  of 
a  dragon-serpent,  hissing  and  spirting  fire.  With  eyes 
as  large  and  luminous  as  moons  she  crawled  over  the 
garden,  swam  across  the  river,  and  entered  the  belfry. 
Her  weight  broke  down  the  supporting  columns,  and 
the  bell,  with  the  priest  inside,  fell  with  a  deafening 
crash  to  the  ground. 

Kiyo  embraced  the  bell  with  a  terrible  lust  for 
vengeance.  Her  coils  held  the  metal  as  in  a  vice  ; 
tighter  and  tighter  she  hugged  the  bell,  till  the  metal 
became  red-hot.  All  in  vain  was  the  prayer  of  the 
captive  priest ;  all  in  vain,  too,  were  the  earnest 
entreaties  of  his  fellow  brethren,  who  implored  that 
Buddha  would  destroy  the  demon.  Hotter  and  hotter 
grew  the  bell,  and  it  rang  with  the  piteous  shrieks  of 
the  priest  within.  Presently  his  voice  was  stilled,  and 
the  bell  melted  and  ran  down  into  a  pool  of  molten 
metal.  The  great  power  of  Karma  had  destroyed  it, 
and  with  it  the  priest  and  the  dragon-serpent  that  was 
once  the  beautiful  Kiyo. 


,+8 


CHAPTER  XI :  YUKI-ONNA,  THE  LADY 
OF  THE  SNOW 

"  Midwinter  gloom  the  earth  enshrouds, 

Yet  from  the  skies 

The  blossoms  fill 

A  flutt'ring  shower, 

White  petals  all  ! 

Can  spring  be  come, 
So  soon  beyond  the  clouds  ? " 
Kujohara  No  Fukayabu  (Trans,  by  CLARA  A.  WALSH). 

Yuki-Onna 

SNOW-TIME  in  Japan  has  a  beauty  peculiarly 
its  own,  and  it  is  a  favourite  theme  of  Japanese 
poets  and  artists.  Both,  for  the  most  part, 
treat  it  artistically,  as  well  they  may  do,  seeing  that  in 
Nippon  the  white  flakes  fall  upon  the  ornate  roofs  of 
Buddhist  temples,  upon  the  fairy-like  bridges,  resem- 
bling those  we  have  seen  on  willow-pattern  plates,  and 
upon  the  exquisitely  shaped  stone  lanterns  that  adorn  so 
many  Japanese  gardens.  The  ideal  snow-scene  is  to  be 
found  in  Japan,  and  because  it  is  so  particularly  beautiful 
it  is  surprising  to  find  that  Yuki-Onna,1  the  Lady  of  the 
Snow,  is  very  far  from  being  a  benevolent  and  attractive 
spirit.  All  the  artistry  and  poetry  of  snow  vanish  in 
her  malignant  presence,  for  she  represents  Death,  with 
attributes  not  unlike  that  of  a  vampire.  But  Japan  is 
full  of  sharp  and  surprising  contrasts,  and  the  delicate 
and  beautiful  jostle  with  the  ugly  and  horrible.  There 
is  no  promise  of  spring  in  the  long  white  form  of 
Yuki-Onna,  for  her  mouth  is  the  mouth  of  Death, 
and  her  ice-cold  lips  draw  forth  the  life-blood  of  her 
unfortunate  victims. 

1  See  my  Land  of  the  Yellow  Spring,  p.  39. 

149 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

The  Snow'Bride 

Mosaku  and  his  apprentice  Minokichi  journeyed  to 
a  forest,  some  little  distance  from  their  village.  It  was 
a  bitterly  cold  night  when  they  neared  their  destination, 
and  saw  in  front  of  them  a  cold  sweep  of  water.  They 
desired  to  cross  this  river,  but  the  ferryman  had  gone 
away,  leaving  his  boat  on  the  other  side  of  the  water, 
and  as  the  weather  was  too  inclement  to  admit  of 
swimming  across  the  river  they  were  glad  to  take  shelter 
in  the  ferryman's  little  hut. 

Mosaku  fell  asleep  almost  immediately  he  entered 
this  humble  but  welcome  shelter.  Minokichi,  however, 
lay  awake  for  a  long  time  listening  to  the  cry  of  the  wind 
and  the  hiss  of  the  snow  as  it  was  blown  against  the  door. 

Minokichi  at  last  fell  asleep,  to  be  soon  awakened 
by  a  shower  of  snow  falling  across  his  face.  He  found 
that  the  door  had  been  blown  open,  and  that  standing 
in  the  room  was  a  fair  woman  in  dazzlingly  white 
garments.  For  a  moment  she  stood  thus  ;  then  she 
bent  over  Mosaku,  her  breath  coming  forth  like  white 
smoke.  After  bending  thus  over  the  old  man  for  a 
minute  or  two  she  turned  to  Minokichi  and  hovered 
over  him.  He  tried  to  cry  out,  for  the  breath  of  this 
woman  was  like  a  freezing  blast  of  wind.  She  told  him 
that  she  had  intended  to  treat  him  as  she  had  done  the 
old  man  at  his  side,  but  forbore  on  account  of  his  youth 
and  beauty.  Threatening  Minokichi  with  instant  death 
if  he  dared  to  mention  to  any  one  what  he  had  seen,  she 
suddenly  vanished. 

Then  Minokichi  called  out  to  his  beloved  master  : 
"  Mosaku,  Mosaku,  wake  !  Something  very  terrible  has 
happened  !  "  But  there  was  no  reply.  He  touched  the 
hand  of  his  master  in  the  dark,  and  found  it  was  like  a 
piece  of  ice.  Mosaku  was  dead  ! 
150 


THE  SNOW-BRIDE 

During  the  next  winter,  while  Minokichi  was  return- 
ing home,  he  chanced  to  meet  a  pretty  girl  by  the  name 
of  Yuki.  She  informed  him  that  she  was  going  to 
Yedo,  where  she  desired  to  find  a  situation  as  a  servant. 
Minokichi  was  charmed  with  this  maiden,  and  he  went 
so  far  as  to  ask  if  she  were  betrothed,  and  hearing  that 
she  was  not,  he  took  her  to  his  own  home,  and  in  due 
time  married  her. 

Yuki  presented  her  husband  with  ten  fine  and  hand- 
some children,  fairer  of  skin  than  the  average.  When 
Minokichi's  mother  died  her  last  words  were  in  praise 
of  Yuki,  and  her  eulogy  was  echoed  by  many  of  the 
country  folk  in  the  district. 

One  night,  while  Yuki  was  sewing,  the  light  of  a 
paper  lamp  shining  upon  her  face,  Minokichi  recalled 
the  extraordinary  experience  he  had  had  in  the  ferry- 
man's hut.  "Yuki,"  said  he,  "you  remind  me  so 
much  of  a  beautiful  white  woman  I  saw  when  I  was 
eighteen  years  old.  She  killed  my  master  with  her 
ice-cold  breath.  I  am  sure  she  was  some  strange  spirit, 
and  yet  to-night  she  seems  to  resemble  you  !  " 

Yuki  flung  down  her  sewing.  There  was  a  horrible 
smile  on  her  face  as  she  bent  close  to  her  husband  and 
shrieked  :  "  It  was  I,  Yuki-Onna,  who  came  to  you 
then,  and  silently  killed  your  master  !  Oh,  faithless 
wretch,  you  have  broken  your  promise  to  keep  the 
matter  secret,  and  if  it  were  not  for  our  sleeping  children 
I  would  kill  you  now  !  Remember,  if  they  have  aught 
to  complain  of  at  your  hands  I  shall  hear,  I  shall 
know,  and  on  a  night  when  the  snow  falls  I  will  kill 
you  ! " 

Then  Yuki-Onna,  the  Lady  of  the  Snow,  changed 
into  a  white  mist,  and,  shrieking  and  shuddering, 
passed  through  the  smoke-hole,  never  to  return 
again. 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Kyuzaemon's  Ghostly  Visitor 

According  to  Mr.  R.  Gordon  Smith,  in  his  "  Ancient 
Tales  and  Folk-lore  of  Japan,"  "  all  those  who  die  by 
the  snow  and  cold  become  spirits  of  snow."  That  is  to 
say,  all  those  who  perish  in  this  way  become  identified 
with  Yuki-Onna,  the  Lady  of  the  Snow.  The  follow- 
ing legend  is  adapted  from  Mr.  Smith's  book  referred 
to  above, 

Kyuzaemon,  a  poor  farmer,  had  closed  the  shutters 
of  his  humble  dwelling  and  retired  to  rest.  Shortly 
before  midnight  he  was  awakened  by  loud  tapping. 
Going  to  the  door,  he  exclaimed  :  "  Who  are  you  ? 
What  do  you  want  ?  " 

The  strange  visitor  made  no  attempt  to  answer  these 
questions,  but  persistently  begged  for  food  and  shelter. 
The  cautious  Kyuzaemon  refused  to  allow  the  visitor 
to  enter,  and,  having  seen  that  his  dwelling  was  secure, 
he  was  about  to  retire  to  bed  again,  when  he  saw 
standing  beside  him  a  woman  in  white  flowing  garments, 
her  hair  falling  over  her  shoulders. 

"Where  did  you  leave  your  ge  fa?"  demanded  the 
frightened  farmer. 

The  white  woman  informed  him  that  she  was  the 
visitor  who  had  tapped  upon  his  door.  "  I  need  no 
geta"  she  said,  "for  I  have  no  feet  !  I  fly  over  the 
snow-capped  trees,  and  should  have  proceeded  to  the 
next  village,  but  the  wind  was  blowing  strongly  against 
me,  and  I  desired  to  rest  awhile." 

The  farmer  expressed  his  fear  of  spirits,  whereupon 
the  woman  inquired  if  her  host  had  a  butsudan  (a  family 
altar).  Finding  that  he  had,  she  bade  him  open  the 
butsudan  and  light  a  lamp.  When  this  was  done  the 
woman  prayed  before  the  ancestral  tablets,  not  forgetting 
to  add  a  prayer  for  the  still  much-agitated  Kyuzaemon. 
152 


KYUZAEMON'S  GHOSTLY  VISITOR 

Having  paid  her  respects  at  the  butsudan^  she  informed 
the  farmer  that  her  name  was  Oyasu,  and  that  she  had 
lived  with  her  parents  and  her  husband,  Isaburo.  When 
she  died  her  husband  left  her  parents,  and  it  was  her 
intention  to  try  to  persuade  him  to  go  back  again  and 
support  the  old  people. 

Kyuzaemon  began  to  understand  as  he  murmured  to 
himself :  "  Oyasu  perished  in  the  snow,  and  this  is  her 
spirit  I  see  before  me."  However,  in  spite  of  this 
recollection  he  still  felt  much  afraid.  He  sought  the 
family  altar  with  trembling  footsteps,  repeating  over 
and  over  again:  "Namu  Amida  Butsu ! "  ("Hail, 
Omnipotent  Buddha  !  ") 

At  last  the  farmer  went  to  bed  and  fell  asleep. 
Once  he  woke  up  to  hear  the  white  creature  murmur 
farewell ;  but  before  he  could  make  answer  she  had 
disappeared. 

The  following  day  Kyuzaemon  went  to  the  next 
village,  and  called  upon  Isaburo,  whom  he  now  found 
living  with  his  father-in-law  again.  Isaburo  informed 
him  that  he  had  received  numerous  visits  from  the 
spirit  of  his  wife  in  the  guise  of  Yuki-Onna.  After 
carefully  considering  the  matter  Kyuzaemon  found  that 
this  Lady  of  the  Snow  had  appeared  before  Isaburo 
almost  immediately  after  she  had  paid  him  such  a 
mysterious  visit.  On  that  occasion  Isaburo  had  promised 
to  fulfil  her  wish,  and  neither  he  nor  Kyuzaemon  were 
again  troubled  with  her  who  travels  in  the  sky  when  the 
snow  is  falling  fast. 


CHAPTER  XII  :  FLOWERS  AND 
GARDENS 

"  All  the  joy  of  my  existence  is  concentrated  around  the 
pillow  which  giveth  me  nightly  rest,  all  the  hope  of  my 
days  I  find  in  the  beauties  of  Nature  that  ever  please  my 
eyes." 

"  (Trans,  by  F.  V.  DICKINS). 


Japanese  and  English  Gardens 

THERE  is  nothing  particularly  aesthetic  about  the 
average  English  garden.  When  the  bedding- 
out  time  comes  a  slow  old  gardener  puts  in  his 
plants.  Later  on  we  see  a  crude  blaze  of  colour  — 
scarlet  geraniums,  yellow  calceolarias,  blue  lobelias,  the 
green  grass  and  the  ochre-coloured  paths.  And  this 
is  the  colour  effect  of  the  average  English  garden,  a 
colour  effect  that  makes  the  eyes  ache  and  shames  the 
very  flowers  so  unwisely  set  in  this  fashion.  The  truth 
of  the  matter  is  that  we  do  not  understand  the  art  of 
flower  arrangement.  We  buy  flowers  just  to  make  the 
garden  look  bright,  under  the  impression  that  bright- 
ness is  an  abstract  quality  with  which  we  should  like 
to  spend  our  summer  days.  An  Englishman  once 
attempted  to  make  a  landscape  garden  after  the 
Japanese  manner.  He  was  extremely  proud  of  the 
result,  and  on  one  occasion  he  took  a  Japanese 
gentleman  round  to  see  it.  The  Japanese  gentleman 
exclaimed,  with  extreme  courtesy  :  "  It  is  very  beauti- 
ful ;  we  have  nothing  at  all  like  it  in  Japan  !  "  The 
Englishman  failed  in  his  attempt  to  imitate  because 
he  considered  gardening  a  hobby,  while  in  Japan  the 
garden  is  something  indelibly  associated  with  Japanese 
life  itself.  In  Japan  it  is  an  ancient  cult  to  which 
poets  and  artists  have  given  years  of  thought,  a  cult 


THE  LOVE  OF  FLOWERS 

in  which   emotion,  memory,  and  religion    play   their 
part. 

The  Love  of  Flowers,  its  Growth  and  Symbolism 

One  of  the  most  striking,  and  certainly  one  of  the 
most  pleasing,  characteristics  of  the  Japanese  is  their 
intense  love  of  flowers  and  trees.  Merry  parties  set 
out  to  see  the  azaleas  bloom,  or  the  splendour  of  the 
pink-white  cherry-blossom,  or  the  scarlet  glory  of  the 
maple-trees.  This  "  flower-viewing  "is  an  integral  part 
of  their  existence.  The  very  kimono  of  the  laughing 
children  look  like  little  gardens  of  flowers  themselves. 
Take  away  their  landscape,  and  you  take  away  at  once 
their  sense  of  poetry,  and,  we  may  almost  add,  the  floral 
side  of  their  religion  too,  for  the  Japanese  worship 
flowers  and  trees  in  a  way  utterly  impossible  to  the 
more  prosaic  Westerner. 

During  a  recent  spring  the  magnolia-trees  in  Kew 
Gardens  afforded  a  wonderfully  beautiful  spectacle. 
But  there  were  few  to  see  these  leafless  trees  with  their 
profusion  of  lotus-like  blossom.  The  most  appreciative 
spectator  was  a  child,  who  sat  under  the  sweet-scented 
branches,  gathered  the  fallen  petals  in  her  little  brown 
hands,  and  made  up  a  quaint  story  as  she  did  so.  But 
in  Japan,  where  magnolia-trees  bloom  too,  a  hundred 
little  poems  would  be  threaded  to  the  branches,  and  little 
cakes  made  in  imitation  of  the  petals.  Perhaps,  too,  a 
branch  of  magnolia  would  be  set  in  a  vase,  the  object 
of  silent  admiration  of  the  members  of  some  tea  cere- 
mony. And  afterwards  the  spray  of  blossom  would  be 
gently  placed  on  a  river  or  buried  with  joy  and  reverence 
for  the  beauty  it  had  exhibited  in  its  brief  hour  of  life. 
The  love  of  flowers  is  only  a  small  part  of  the 
Japanese  love  of  Nature.  There  was  an  evolutionary 
growth  in  this  worship  as  in  every  other,  and  we  are 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

inclined  to  think  that  the  Japanese  go  very  far  back  in 
this  matter,  and  learnt  first  of  all  to  love  rocks  and 
stones.  To  us  rocks  and  stones  are  of  interest  only  to 
the  geologist  and  metallurgist,  merely  from  a  scientific 
point  of  view,  and  it  seems  almost  incredible  that  rocks 
and  stones  have  a  poetical  meaning.  But  it  is  otherwise 
to  the  Japanese.  The  Japanese  garden  is  essentially  a 
landscape  garden.  The  owner  of  a  garden  falls  in  love 
with  a  certain  view.  It  haunts  him,  and  awakens  in 
him  some  primitive  feelings  of  delight  that  cannot  be 
analysed.  He  brings  that  view  perpetually  before  him 
in  his  garden,  in  miniature,  perhaps,  but  a  miniature  of 
wonderful  exactness.  His  garden  thus  becomes  a  place 
of  happy  memory,  and  not  a  plot  laid  out  with  gaudy 
flowers  and  terraces  that  can  have  no  meaning,  no  poetry 
to  his  mind.  Without  a  doubt  Japanese  gardens,  with 
their  gorgeous  flowers,  merry  sunshine,  and  the  sweet 
tinkle  of  dainty  fairy-bells  suspended  from  the  branches 
of  the  trees,  are  the  most  delightful  in  the  world. 

Japanese  Gardens 

One  thing  that  strikes  us  about  Japanese  gardens 
that  we  do  not  find  in  England  is  the  wonderful 
economy  displayed  in  their  schemes.  Suburbia  often 
makes  the  excuse  that  their  pocket-handkerchief  of  a 
garden  is  much  too  small  to  be  made  beautiful.  Too 
small  to  be  made  beautiful  ?  Why,  the  Japanese  can 
make  a  wonderful  little  garden  in  a  space  no  bigger  than 
a  soup-plate  !  Necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention,  and 
if  we  only  loved  Nature  more  we  should  soon  find  the 
means  to  make  our  smallest  gardens  attractive.  The 
great  Japanese  designer  of  gardens,  Kobori-Enshiu, 
said  that  an  ideal  garden  should  be  like  "the  sweet 
solitude  of  a  landscape  clouded  by  moonlight,  with  a 
half-gloom  between  the  trees." 
156 


JAPANESE  GARDENS 

Miss  Florence  Du  Cane  has  much  to  say  concerning 
Japanese  rocks  and  stones.  What  poetry  is  suggested  in 
the  names  of  some  of  these  garden  stones — for  example, 
"The  Stone  of  Easy  Rest."  Then,  among  the  lake 
stones  we  have  one  called  "Wild  Wave  Stone,"  that 
at  once  suggests  Matsushima,  with  its  waves  breaking 
against  innumerable  rocks. 

The  stone  or  wooden  lamps  are  very  important 
ornaments  in  a  Japanese  garden.  The  idea  was  borrowed 
from  Korea,  and  they  are  still  sometimes  known  as 
"Korean  towers."  They  are  seldom  lit,  except  in 
temple  gardens,  but  they  need  no  jewel  of  light  to  make 
them  beautiful.  They  are  rich  in  amber  and  green  moss, 
and  in  the  winter  they  catch  the  snow  and  make  ghost 
lanterns  of  exquisite  beauty.  Another  feature  of  a 
Japanese  garden  is  the  Torii,  a  simple  arch  of  wood 
shaped  like  a  huge  Chinese  character.  Shinto  in  origin, 
no  one  has  as  yet  discovered  what  they  were  originally 
intended  to  represent,  though  there  have  been  many 
diverse  opinions  on  the  subject.  These  gates  to  nowhere 
are  extremely  fascinating,  and  to  look  at  them  with  the 
sea  about  their  feet  is  to  dream  of  a  far-away  fairy  tale 
of  childhood. 

The  lakes,  cascades,  tiny  bridges,  the  stepping-stones 
over  the  winding  ways  of  silver  sand,  form  a  place  of 
retreat  indeed.  And  then  the  colour  of  the  Japanese 
garden  !  Every  month  has  some  fresh  colour  scene  as 
the  plum  and  cherry  and  peach-trees  come  into  bloom. 
Trailing  over  the  ground  among  the  pine-needles  or 
looking  into  the  clear  blue  lake,  one  may  see  the 
azaleas.  If  there  were  ever  a  flower  that  personified 
colour  then  it  is  surely  the  azalea.  It  is  the  rainbow  of 
flowers,  and  there  seems  scarcely  a  shade  of  colour  not 
to  be  found  in  its  blossoms.  To  look  at  the  azaleas  is 
to  look  into  the  very  paint-box  of  Nature  herself.  Then 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

at  another  season  of  the  year  we  get  the  iris  in  purple 
and  lavender,  yellow  and  white,  or  the  beautiful  rose- 
coloured  lotus  that  opens  with  a  little  explosion  on  the 
placid  waters,  as  if  to  herald  its  coming  to  perfection. 
The  last  colour  glory  of  the  year  is  the  splendour  of  the 
maple-trees.  We  have  a  fine  crimson  effect  in  our 
English  blackberry  leaves,  but  they  lie  hidden  in  the 
wet  autumn  hedges.  In  Japan  the  maples  do  not  hide. 
They  seem  everywhere  alive  in  a  splendid  flame.  In 
the  autumn  it  appears  as  if  the  maple-trees  had  conjured 
with  the  sunset,  for  at  that  time  Japan  is  not  the  Land 
of  the  Rising  Sun,  but  the  land  of  the  sun  going 
down  in  a  great  pageant  of  red  leaves.  And  is  that  the 
end  of  Nature's  work  for  the  year  ?  No,  indeed.  Last 
of  all  comes  the  snow,  and  the  beauty  of  its  effect  lies 
not  so  much  in  the  soft  flakes  themselves,  but  in  the 
way  they  are  caught  and  held  upon  the  beautiful  little 
houses  and  temples  and  lanterns.  See  a  Japanese 
garden  then,  and  you  see  the  white  seal  of  Nature's 
approval  upon  it  all.  The  snow  scene  is  perhaps 
Nature's  supreme  touch  in  Japan,  after  all ;  and  it  is  a 
scene  dear  to  the  hearts  of  the  Japanese.  In  midsummer 
a  Japanese  emperor  once  had  the  miniature  mountains 
in  his  gardens  covered  with  white  silk  to  suggest  snow, 
and,  no  doubt,  to  give  an  imaginary  coolness  to  the 
scene.  A  slight  acquaintance  with  Japanese  art  will 
reveal  the  fact  that  snow  affords  a  favourite  theme  for 
the  artist's  brush. 

Nature  in  Miniature 

The  Japanese,  for  the  most  part,  are  little  in  stature, 
and  have  a  love  of  things  in  miniature.  Lafcadio  Hearn 
tells  a  charming  story  of  a  Japanese  nun  who  used  to 
play  with  children  and  give  them  rice-cakes  no  bigger 
than  peas  and  tea  in  very  minute  cups.  Her  love  of 
158 


THE  PINE-TREE 

very  small  things  came  as  the  result  of  a  great  sorrow, 
but  we  see  in  this  Japanese  love  of  little  objects  some- 
thing pathetic  in  the  nation  as  a  whole.  Their  love  of 
dwarf  trees,  hundreds  of  years  old,  seems  to  say  :  "  Be 
honourably  pleased  never  to  grow  big.  We  are  a  little 
people,  and  so  we  love  little  things."  The  ancient 
pine,  often  less  than  a  foot  in  height,  does  not  render 
its  age  oppressive,  and  is  not  a  thing  to  fear  just  because 
it  is  so  very  small.  Westerners  have  been  inclined  to 
describe  the  dwarf  Japanese  tree  as  unnatural.  It  is  no 
more  unnatural  than  the  Japanese  smile,  and  reveals 
that  the  nation,  like  the  Greeks  of  old,  is  still  closely 
in  touch  with  Nature. 

The  Pine-tree 

The  pine-tree  is  the  emblem  of  good  fortune  and 
longevity.  That  is  why  we  see  this  tree  at  almost 
every  garden  gate ;  and  it  must  be  admitted  that  a  pine- 
tree  is  a  more  graceful  talisman  than  a  rusty  old  horse- 
shoe. In  a  certain  Japanese  play  we  find  the  following  : 
"The  emblem  of  unchangeableness — exalted  is  their 
fame  to  the  end  of  time — the  fame  of  the  two  pine-trees 
that  have  grown  old  together."  This  refers  to  the 
famous  pines  of  Takasago.  Mr.  Conder  tells  us  that 
at  wedding  feasts  "  a  branch  of  the  male  pine  is  placed 
in  one  vessel  and  a  branch  of  the  female  pine  in  the 
other.  The  general  form  of  each  design  would  be 
similar,  but  the  branch  of  the  female  pine  facing  the 
opposite  vase  should  stretch  a  little  beneath  the  corre- 
sponding branch  of  the  male  pine."  In  other  words,  it 
shows  that  Woman's  Suffrage  exists  not  in  Japan,  and 
that  the  Japanese  wife  is  subject  to  her  lord  and  master, 
which  is  a  very  pretty  way  of  suggesting  what  is  in 
England  a  very  dangerous  subject.  The  design  referred 
to  above  typifies  "eternal  union."  The  pine-tree  really 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

symbolises  the  comradeship  of  love,   the  Darby  and 
Joan  stage  of  old  married  people  in  Japan. 

A  Great  Nature'lovet1 

Kamo  No  Chomei   was  a  Buddhist  recluse  of  the 
twelfth  century,  and    he   wrote  a   little    book   called 
Ho-jo-ty  ("  Notes  from  a  Ten-feet-square  Hut  ").  In  this 
volume  he  describes  how  he  left  the  ways  of  the  world 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  a  hut  on  the  mountain-side. 
Chomei  used  to  sing  and  play  and  read  his   beloved 
books  in  the  very  heart  of  the   country.     He  writes  : 
"  When  the  sixtieth  year  of  my  life,  now  vanishing  as  a 
dewdrop,  approached,  anew  I  made  me  an  abode,  a  sort 
of  last  leap,  as  it  were,  just  as  a  traveller  might  run 
himself  up  a  shelter  for  a  single  night,  or  a  decrepit 
silkworm  weave  its  last  cocoon."   We  see  him,  a  happy 
old  man,   slowly  trudging  along   the  hills,  gathering 
blossom  as  he  went,  ever  watching  with  delighted  eyes 
the  ways  and  secrets  of  Nature.     With  all  his  musings, 
so  full  of  poetry,  his  religious  character  plays  a  part. 
He  writes  with  dry  humour :  "  I  do  not  need  to  trouble 
myself  about  the  strict  observance  of  the  command- 
ments, for,  living  as  I  do  in  complete  solitude,  how  should 
I  be  tempted  to  break  them  ?  "    A  very  different  experi- 
ence to  that  of  some  of  the  Indian  anchorites,  who  find 
in  solitude  a  veritable  thunder-cloud  of  temptation  ! 
But  Chomei  was  a  happy  soul,  and  we  mention  him  here 
to  show  that  the  mainstay  of  his  life  were  not  the  things 
of  the  world,  but  the  workings  of  Nature  on  the  hills 
and  in  the  valleys,  in  the  flowers  and  in  the  trees,  in  the 
running  water  and  in  the  rising  moon.     To  quote  his 
own   words :  "  You  have  fled  from  the  world  to  live 
the  life  of  a  recluse  amid  the  wild  woods  and  hills,  thus 
to  bring  peace  to  your  soul  and  walk  in  the  way  of  the 
Buddha." 
160 


JAPANESE  FLAG  AND  THE  CHRYSANTHEMUM 

The  Festival  of  the  Dead 

We  find  the  Festival  of  the  Dead  the  greatest  argu- 
ment of  all  in  support  of  Japan's  love  of  Nature.  It 
was  a  woman's  thought,  this  Festival  of  the  Dead,  and 
there  is  something  about  it  so  tender,  so  plaintive,  that 
it  could  only  have  come  from  a  woman.  In  July 
the  spirits  of  the  dead  return  from  their  dark  abode. 
Little  meals  are  prepared  for  this  great  company  of 
ghosts,  and  the  lanterns  hang  in  the  cemeteries  and  on 
the  pine-trees  of  good  fortune  at  the  garden  gates.  The 
Japanese  used  to  commit  hara-kiri?  but  let  us  not  forget 
that  their  souls  come  back  again  to  wander  in  a  country 
that  seems  to  be  one  great  garden.  And  why  do  they 
come  back  ?  They  come  back  with  their  soft  footsteps 
over  the  hills  and  far  away  from  over  the  sea  to  look 
at  the  flowers  once  more,  to  wander  in  the  gardens  where 
they  spent  so  many  happy  hours.  They  come,  that 
invisible  host,  when  the  sun  shines  brightly,  when  it 
seems  that  blossoms  floating  in  the  breeze  suddenly  turn 
into  butterflies,  when  life  is  at  its  full,  when  Death  and  the 
dark  place  where  Emma-O  reigns  cannot  be  endured. 
What  a  time  to  come  back  again  !  What  a  silent  com- 
pliment to  Nature  that  that  great  company  of  souls 
should  wander  back  to  her  arms  in  the  summer-time ! 

The  Japanese  Flag  and  the  Chrysanthemum 

Most  of  us  are  familiar  with  the  Japanese  flag  depict- 
ing a  red  sun  on  a  white  ground,  and  we  should  naturally 
suppose  that  such  an  emblem  was  originally  connected 
with  the  Sun  Goddess.  In  this  supposition,  however, 
we  should  be  entirely  wrong.  Astrological  designs  in 

1  Hara-kiri,  or  seppuku,  is  the  term  applied  to  suicide  among  the 
samurai  class.  For  detailed  account  see  Tales  of  Old  Japan,  by 
A.  B.  Mitford  (Lord  Redesdale). 

L  161 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

ancient  days  figured  upon  the  Chinese  banners,  and 
Professor  B.  H.  Chamberlain  describes  them  thus  : 
"  The  Sun  with  the  Three-legged  Crow  that  inhabits  it, 
the  Moon  with  its  Hare 1  and  Cassia-tree,  the  Red  Bird 
representing  the  seven  constellations  of  the  southern 
quarter  of  the  zodiac,  the  Dark  Warrior  (a  Tortoise) 
embracing  the  seven  northern  constellations,  the  Azure 
Dragon  embracing  the  seven  eastern,  the  White  Tiger 
embracing  the  seven  western,  and  a  seventh  banner 
representing  the  Northern  Bushel  (Great  Bear)."  The 
Chinese  banners  depicting  the  sun  and  moon  were 
particularly  noteworthy,  because  the  sun  represented 
the  Emperor's  elder  brother  and  the  moon  his  sister. 
In  the  seventh  century  the  Japanese  adopted  these 
banners  ;  but  as  time  went  on  they  dropped  many  of 
the  quaint  astrological  designs  so  dear  to  the  heart  of  the 
Chinese.  When  in  1859  a  national  flag  became  neces- 
sary the  sun  banner  pure  and  simple  was  adopted  ; 
but  a  plain  orb  without  rays  was  not  sufficient,  and  a 
more  elaborate  design  was  executed — the  sixteen-petalled 
chrysanthemum.  We  can  only  conjecture  the  connec- 
tion between  the  sun  and  the  chrysanthemum.  Both 
were  venerated  in  ancient  China,  and  we  may  assume 
that  the  Japanese  artist,  in  wishing  to  depict  the  sun's 
rays,  found  excellent  material  in  copying  the  flower  of 
a  wild  chrysanthemum. 

The  chrysanthemum  is  Japan's  national  flower,  and 
we  owe  to  Nippon  its  culture  in  our  own  country. 
Mythological  scenes,  particularly  that  of  the  Treasure 
Ship  with  the  Gods  of  Luck  on  board  is  a  favourite 

\  l  To  this  day  Japanese  peasants  still  believe  in  the  Hare  in  the 
Moon.  This  animal  employs  its  time  in  pounding  rice  in  a  mortar 
/and  making  it  into  cakes.  The  origin  of  this  conception  is  probably 

/to  be  found  in  a  pun,  for  "  rice-cake  "  and  "  full  moon  "  are  both 

/  described  by  the  word  mochi. 
162 


LADY  WHITE  AND  LADY  YELLOW 

device,  fashioned  entirely  with  innumerable  chrysanthe- 
mums. Boats,  castles,  bridges,  and  various  other  objects 
are  designed  from  the  same  flower  with  wonderful 
dexterity.  Japan  has  always  been  happy  in  her  use  of 
names,  and  to  no  greater  advantage  than  in  the  naming 
of  her  chrysanthemums.  There  is  poetry  in  such  names 
as  "  Sleepy  Head,"  «  Golden  Dew,"  "  White  Dragon," 
and  "Starlit  Night." 

The  chrysanthemum  is  certainly  a  fitting  symbolism 
for  the  Imperial  standard.  Once,  like  our  English  rose, 
it  figured  as  a  badge  in  the  War  of  the  Chrysanthemums, 
a  protracted  civil  war  that  divided  the  nation  into  two 
hostile  factions.  Now  the  chrysanthemum  stands  for  a 
united  Empire. 

Lady  White  and  Lady  Yellow 

Long  ago  there  grew  in  a  meadow  a  white  and  a  yellow 
chrysanthemum  side  by  side.  One  day  an  old  gardener 
chanced  to  come  across  them,  and  took  a  great  fancy  to 
Lady  Yellow.  He  told  her  that  if  she  would  come 
along  with  him  he  would  make  her  far  more  attractive, 
that  he  would  give  her  delicate  food  and  fine  clothes  to 
wear. 

Lady  Yellow  was  so  charmed  with  what  the  old  man 
said  that  she  forgot  all  about  her  white  sister  and  con- 
sented to  be  lifted  up,  carried  in  the  arms  of  the  old 
gardener,  and  to  be  placed  in  his  garden. 

When  Lady  Yellow  and  her  master  had  departed 
Lady  White  wept  bitterly.  Her  own  simple  beauty 
had  been  despised ;  but,  what  was  far  worse,  she  was 
forcecT  to  remain  in  the  meadow  alone,  without  the 
converse  of  her  sister,  to  whom  she  had  been  devoted. 

Day  by  day  Lady  Yellow  grew  more  fair  in  her 
master's  garden.  No  one  would  have  recognised  the 
common  flower  of  the  field  now  ;  but  though  her  petals 

163 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

were  long  and  curled  and  her  leaves  so  clean  and  well 
cared  for,  she  sometimes  thought  of  Lady  White  alone 
in  the  field,  and  wondered  how  she  managed  to  make 
the  long  and  lonely  hours  pass  by. 

One  day  a  village  chief  came  to  the  old  man's  garden 
in  quest  of  a  perfect  chrysanthemum  that  he  might  take 
to  his  lord  for  a  crest  design.1  He  informed  the  old 
man  that  he  did  not  want  a  fine  chrysanthemum  with 
many  long  petals.  What  he  wanted  was  a  simple  white 
chrysanthemum  with  sixteen  petals.  The  old  man  took 
the  village  chief  to  see  Lady  Yellow  ;  but  this  flower 
did  not  please  him,  and,  thanking  the  gardener,  he  took 
his  departure. 

On  his  way  home  he  happened  to  enter  a  field,  where 
he  saw  Lady  White  weeping.  She  told  him  the  sad 
story  of  her  loneliness,  and  when  she  had  finished  her 
tale  of  woe  the  village  chief  informed  her  that  he  had 
seen  Lady  Yellow  and  did  not  consider  her  half  as 
beautiful  as  her  own  white  self.  At  these  cheering 
words  Lady  White  dried  her  eyes,  and  she  nearly 
jumped  oft  her  little  feet  when  this  kind  man  told  her 
that  he  wanted  her  for  his  lord's  crest ! 

In  another  moment  the  happy  Lady  White  was  being 
carried  in  a  palanquin.  When  she  reached  the  Daimyu's 
palace  all  warmly  praised  her  remarkable  perfection  of 
form.  Great  artists  came  from  far  and  near,  sat  about 
her,  and  sketched  the  flower  with  wonderful  skill.  She 
soon  needed  no  mirror,  for  ere  long  she  saw  her  pretty 

1  The  sixteen-petalled  chrysanthemum  is  one  of  the  crests  of  the 
Imperial  family,  while  the  other  represents  the  flowers  and  leaves  of 
the  paulownia.  Crests  in  Japan  are  not  confined  to  the  wealthy 
classes.  The  crest  is  still  worn  upon  the  upper  part  of  the  native 
garment,  to  be  seen  on  each  breast  and  sleeve,  and  upon  the  back 
of  the  neck.  Favourite  designs  are  derived  from  the  bamboo,  birds, 
fans,  Chinese  characters,  &c. 


CHRYSANTHEMUM-OLD.MAN 

white  face  on  all  the  Daimyv's  most  precious  belong- 
ings. She  saw  it  on  his  armour  and  lacquer  boxes,  on 
his  quilts  and  cushions  and  robes.  When  she  looked 
upward  she  could  see  her  face  in  great  carved  panels. 
She  was  painted  floating  down  a  stream,  and  in  all 
manner  of  quaint  and  beautiful  ways.  Every  one 
acknowledged  that  the  white  chrysanthemum,  with  her 
sixteen  petals,  made  the  most  wonderful  crest  in  all 
Japan. 

While  Lady  White's  happy  face  lived  for  ever 
designed  upon  the  Daimyu's  possessions,  Lady  Yellow 
met  with  a  sad  fate.  She  had  bloomed  for  herself 
alone  and  drunk  in  the  visitors'  praise  as  eagerly  as  she 
did  the  dew  upon  her  finely  curled  petals.  One  day, 
however,  she  felt  a  stiffness  in  her  limbs  and  a  cessation 
of  the  exuberance  of  life.  Her  once  proud  head  fell 
forward,  and  when  the  old  man  found  her  he  lifted  her 
up  and  threw  her  upon  a  rubbish  heap. 

"  Chrysanthemum-Old-Man  "  ' 

Kikuo  ("  Chrysanthemum-Old-Man  ")  was  the  faith- 
ful retainer  of  Tsugaru.  One  day  his  lord's  force  was 
overthrown,  and  the  castle  and  fine  estates  were  taken 
away  by  the  enemy  ;  but  fortunately  Tsugaru  and  Kikuo 
were  able  to  escape  to  the  mountains. 

Kikuo,  knowing  his  master's  love  of  flowers,  especially 
that  of  the  chrysanthemum,  resolved  to  cultivate  this 
flower  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  and  in  so  doing  to 
lessen  a  little  of  his  master's  remorse  and  humiliation 
in  exile. 

His  efforts  pleased  Tsugaru,  but  unfortunately  that 
lord  soon  fell  sick  and  died,  and  the  faithful  Kikuo 
wept  over  his  master's  grave.  Then  once  more  he 

1  This  story  and  those  that  follow  ir>  this  chapter  have  been 
adapted  from  Ancient  Tales  and  Folk-lore  of  Japan>  by  R.  Gordon  Smith. 

165 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

returned  to  his  work,  and  planted  chrysanthemums  about 
his  master's  tomb  till  he  had  made  a  border  thirty  yards 
broad,  so  that  red,  white,  pink,  yellow,  and  bronze 
blossoms  scented  the  air,  to  the  wonder  of  all  who 
chanced  to  come  that  way. 

When  Kikuo  was  about  eighty-two  he  caught  cold 
and  was  confined  to  his  humble  dwelling,  where  he 
suffered  considerable  pain. 

One  autumn  night,  when  he  knew  those  beloved 
flowers  dedicated  to  his  master  were  at  their  best,  he 
saw  in  the  verandah  a  number  of  young  children. 
As  he  gazed  upon  them  he  realised  that  they  were  not 
the  children  of  this  world. 

Two  of  these  little  ones  drew  near  to  Kikuo,  and 
said :  "  We  are  the  spirits  of  your  chrysanthemums, 
and  have  come  to  tell  you  how  sorry  we  are  to  find  you 
ill.  You  have  guarded  and  loved  us  with  such  care. 
There  was  a  man  in  China,  Hozo  by  name,  who  lived 
eight  hundred  years  by  drinking  the  dew  from  chry- 
santhemum blossoms.  Gladly  would  we  lengthen  out 
your  days,  but,  alas !  the  Gods  ordain  otherwise. 
Within  thirty  days  you  will  die." 

The  old  man  expressed  the  wish  that  he  might  die  in 
peace,  and  the  regret  that  he  must  needs  leave  behind 
him  all  his  chrysanthemums. 

"  Listen,"  said  one  of  the  ghostly  children :  "  we  have 
all  loved  you,  Kikuo,  for  what  you  have  done  for  us. 
When  you  die  we  shall  die  too."  As  soon  as  these  words 
were  spoken  a  pufF  of  wind  blew  against  the  dwelling, 
and  the  spirits  departed. 

Kikuo  grew  worse  instead  of  better,  and  on  the  thir- 
tieth day  he  passed  away.  When  visitors  came  to  see  the 
chrysanthemums  he  had  planted,  all  had  vanished.  The 
villagers  buried  the  old  man  near  his  master,  and,  thinking 
to  please  Kikuo,  they  planted  chrysanthemums  near  his 
166 


Shinge  and  Yoshisawa  by  the  Violet  Well.  166 


THE  VIOLET  WELL 

grave  ;  but  all  died  immediately  they  were  put  into  the 
ground.  Only  grasses  grow  over  the  tombs  now.  The 
child-souls  of  the  chrysanthemums  chatter  and  sing  and 
play  with  the  spirit  of  Kikuo. 

The  Violet  Well 

Shinge  and  her  waiting-maids  were  picnicking  in  the 
Valley  of  Shimizutani,  that  lies  between  the  mountains 
of  Yoshino  and  Tsubosaka.  Shinge,  full  of  the  joy  of 
spring,  ran  towards  the  Violet  Well,  where  she  discovered 
great  clumps  of  purple,  sweet-scented  violets.  She  was 
about  to  pick  the  fragrant  blossoms  when  a  great  snake 
darted  forth,  and  she  immediately  fainted. 

When  the  maidens  found  her  they  saw  that  her  lips 
were  purple,  as  purple  as  the  violets  that  surrounded  her, 
and  when  they  saw  the  snake,  still  lurking  in  the  vicinity, 
they  feared  that  their  mistress  would  die.  Matsu,  how- 
ever, had  sufficient  presence  of  mind  to  throw  her  basket 
of  flowers  at  the  snake,  which  at  once  crawled  away. 

Just  at  that  moment  a  handsome  youth  appeared,  and, 
explaining  to  the  maidens  that  he  was  a  doctor,  he  gave 
Matsu  some  medicine,  in  order  that  she  might  give  it  to 
her  mistress. 

While  Matsu  forced  the  powder  into  Shinge's  mouth 
the  doctor  took  up  a  stick,  disappeared  for  a  few  moments, 
and  then  returned  with  the  dead  snake  in  his  hands. 

By  this  time  Shing£  had  regained  consciousness,  and 
asked  the  name  of  the  physician  to  whom  she  was 
indebted  for  saving  her  life.  But  he  politely  bowed, 
evaded  her  question,  and  then  took  his  departure. 
Only  Matsu  knew  that  the  name  of  her  mistress's 
rescuer  was  Yoshisawa. 

When  Shing£  had  been  taken  to  her  home  she  grew 
worse  instead  of  better.  All  the  cleverest  doctors  came  to 
her  bedside,  but  could  do  nothing  to  restore  her  to  health. 

167 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Matsu  knew  that  her  mistress  was  gradually  fading 
away  for  love  of  the  handsome  man  who  had  saved  her 
life,  and  she  therefore  talked  the  matter  over  with  her 
master,  Zembei.  Matsu  told  him  the  story,  and  said 
that  although  Yoshisawa  was  of  a  low  birth,  belonging 
to  the  Eta,  the  lowest  caste  in  Japan,  who  live  by 
killing  and  skinning  animals,  yet  nevertheless  he  was 
extremely  courteous  and  had  the  manner  and  bearing  of 
a  samurai.  "  Nothing,"  said  Matsu,  "  will  restore  your 
daughter  to  health  unless  she  marries  this  handsome 
physician." 

Both  Zembei  and  his  wife  were  dismayed  at  these 
words,  for  Zembei  was  a  great  daimyV)  and  could  not  for 
one  moment  tolerate  the  idea  of  his  daughter  marrying 
one  of  the  Eta  class.  However,  he  agreed  to  make 
inquiries  concerning  Yoshisawa,  and  Matsu  returned  to 
her  mistress  with  something  like  good  news.  When 
Matsu  had  told  Shinge  what  her  father  was  doing  on  her 
oehalf  she  rallied  considerably,  and  was  able  to  take 
food. 

When  Shinge  was  nearly  well  again  Zembei  called  her 
to  him  and  said  that  he  had  made  careful  inquiries  con- 
cerning Yoshisawa,  and  could  on  no  account  agree  to  her 
marrying  him. 

Shing6  wept  bitterly,  and  brooded  long  over  her 
sorrow  with  a  weary  heart.  The  next  morning  she  was 
not  to  be  found  in  the  house  or  in  the  garden.  Search 
was  made  in  every  direction  ;  even  Yoshisawa  himself 
sought  her  everywhere  ;  but  those  who  sought  her  found 
her  not.  She  had  mysteriously  disappeared,  burdened 
with  a  sorrow  that  now  made  her  father  realise  the  effect 
of  his  harsh  decree. 

After  three  days  she  was  found  lying  at  the  bottom  of 
the  Violet  Well,  and  shortly  after  Yoshisawa,  overcome 
with  grief,  sought  a  similar  end  to  his  troubles.  It  is 
168 


THE  GHOST  OF  THE  LOTUS  LILY 

said  that  on  stormy  nights  the  ghost  of  Shinge  is  to  be 
seen  floating  over  the  well,  while  near  by  comes  the 
sound  of  the  weeping  of  Yoshisawa. 

The  Ghost  of  the  Lotus  Lily 

"  O  Resurrection,  Resurrection  of  World  and  Life  ! 
Lo,  Sun  ascend  !     The  lotus  buds  flash  with  hearts  parted, 
With  one  chant  *  Namu,  Amida  ! '  " 

Tone  Noguchi. 

The  lotus  is  the  sacred  flower  of  Buddhism.  Because 
it  grows  out  of  mud,  rears  its  stalk  through  water,  and 
from  such  dark  and  slimy  beginnings  yields  a  lovely 
flower,  it  has  been  compared  with  a  virtuous  man  dwell- 
ing in  this  wicked  world.  Sir  Monier  Williams  writes  : 
"  Its  constant  use  as  an  emblem  seems  to  result  from 
the  wheel-like  form  of  the  flower,  the  petals  taking  the 
place  of  spokes,  and  thus  typifying  the  doctrine  of 
perpetual  cycles  of  existence/'  Buddha  is  frequently 
portrayed  as  either  standing  or  sitting  upon  a  golden 
lotus,  and  the  flower  reminds  us  of  the  Buddhist  sutray 
known  as  the  "Lotus  of  the  Good  Law." 

Thus  Lafcadio  Hearn  describes  the  lotus  of  Paradise  : 
"  They  are  gardening,  these  charming  beings  ! — they  are 
caressing  the  lotus  buds,  sprinkling  their  petals  with 
something  celestial,  helping  them  to  blossom.  And 
what  lotus-buds  !  with  colours  not  of  this  world.  Some 
have  burst  open  ;  and  in  their  luminous  hearts,  in  a 
radiance  like  that  of  dawn,  tiny  naked  infants  are  seated, 
each  with  a  tiny  halo.  These  are  Souls,  new  Buddhas, 
hotoke  born  into  bliss.  Some  are  very,  very  small  ; 
others  larger  ;  all  seem  to  be  growing  visibly,  for  their 
lovely  nurses  are  feeding  them  with  something  ambrosial. 
I  see  one  which  has  left  its  lotus-cradle,  being  conducted 
by  a  celestial  Jizo  toward  the  higher  splendours  far 
away." 

169 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

So  much,  then,  for  the  celestial  lotus  and  for  its 
intimate  connection  with  Buddhism.  In  the  following 
legend  we  find  this  flower  possessed  with  the  magical 
power  of  keeping  away  evil  spirits. 

A  certain  disease  broke  out  in  Kyoto  from  which 
many  thousands  of  people  died.  It  spread  to  Idzumi, 
where  the  Lord  of  Koriyama  lived,  and  Koriyama,  his 
wife  and  child,  were  stricken  down  with  the  malady. 

One  day  Tada  Samon,  a  high  official  in  Koriyama's 
castle,  received  a  visit  from  a  yamabushi,  or  mountain 
recluse.  This  man  was  full  of  concern  for  the  illness  of 
the  Lord  Koriyama,  and,  addressing  Samon,  he  said :  "  All 
this  trouble  has  come  about  through  the  entrance  of 
evil  spirits  in  the  castle.  They  have  come  because  the 
moats  about  the  abode  are  dry  and  contain  no  lotus.  If 
these  moats  were  at  once  planted  with  this  sacred  flower 
the  evil  spirits  would  depart,  and  your  lord,  his  wife 
and  child,  grow  well  again." 

Samon  was  much  impressed  by  these  wise  words,  and 
permission  was  given  for  this  recluse  to  plant  lotus 
about  the  castle.  When  he  had  accomplished  his  task 
he  mysteriously  disappeared. 

Within  a  week  the  Lord  Koriyama,  his  wife  and  son, 
were  able  to  get  up  and  resume  their  respective  duties, 
for  by  this  time  the  walls  had  been  repaired,  the  moats 
filled  with  pure  water,  which  reflected  the  nodding  heads 
of  countless  lotus. 

Many  years  later,  and  after  the  Lord  Koriyama  had 
died,  a  young  samurai  chanced  to  pass  by  the  castle 
moats.  He  was  gazing  admiringly  at  these  flowers 
when  he  suddenly  saw  two  extremely  handsome  boys 
playing  on  the  edge  of  the  water.  He  was  about  to 
lead  them  to  a  safer  place  when  they  sprang  into  the 
air  and,  falling,  disappeared  beneath  the  water. 

The  astonished  samurai,  believing  that  he  had  seen  a 
170 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  PEONY 

couple  of  kappas*  or  river  goblins,  made  a  hasty  retreat 
to  the  castle,  and  there  reported  his  strange  adventure. 
When  he  had  told  his  story  the  moats  were  dragged 
and  cleaned,  but  nothing  could  be  found  of  the  supposed 
kappas. 

A  little  later  on  another  samurai^  Murata  Ippai,  saw 
near  the  same  lotus  a  number  of  beautiful  little  boys. 
He  drew  his  sword  and  cut  them  down,  breathing  in  as 
he  did  so  the  heavy  perfume  of  this  sacred  flower  with 
every  stroke  of  his  weapon.  When  Ippai  looked  about 
him  to  see  how  many  of  these  strange  beings  he  had 
killed,  there  arose  before  him  a  cloud  of  many  colours, 
a  cloud  that  fell  upon  his  face  with  a  fine  spray. 

As  it  was  too  dark  to  ascertain  fully  the  extent  and 
nature  of  his  onslaught,  Ippai  remained  all  night  by  the 
spot.  When  he  awoke  in  the  morning  he  found  to  his 
disgust  that  he  had  only  struck  off  the  heads  of  a 
number  of  lotus.  Knowing  that  this  beneficent  flower 
had  saved  the  life  of  the  Lord  Koriyama,  and  now  pro- 
tected that  of  his  son,  Ippai  was  filled  with  shame  and 
remorse.  Saying  a  prayer  by  the  water's  edge,  he  com- 
mitted hara-kiri. 

The  Spirit  of  the  Peony 

It  had  been  arranged  that  the  Princess  Aya  should 
marry  the  second  son  of  Lord  Ako.  The  arrangements, 
according  to  Japanese  custom,  had  been  made  entirely 
without  the  consent  or  approval  of  the  actual  parties 
concerned. 

One  night  Princess  Aya  walked  through  the  great 
garden  of  her  home,  accompanied  by  her  waiting-maids. 
The  moon  shone  brightly  upon  her  favourite  peony  bed 
near  a  pond,  and  covered  me  sweet-scented  blooms  in  a 

1  Referred  to  elsewhere  in  the  chapter  dealing  with  Supernatural 
Beings. 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

silver  sheen.  Here  she  lingered,  and  was  stooping  to 
breathe  the  fragrance  of  these  flowers  when  her  foot 
slipped,  and  she  would  have  fallen  had  not  a  handsome 
young  man,  clad  in  a  robe  of  embroidered  peonies, 
rescued  her  just  in  time.  He  vanished  as  quickly  and 
mysteriously  as  he  had  come,  before,  indeed,  she  had 
time  to  thank  him. 

It  so  happened  that  shortly  after  this  event  the 
Princess  Aya  became  very  ill,  and  in  consequence  the 
day  for  her  marriage  had  to  be  postponed.  All  the 
medical  aid  available  was  useless  to  restore  the  feverish 
maiden  to  health  again. 

The  Princess  Aya's  father  asked  his  favourite 
daughter's  maid,  Sadayo,  if  she  could  throw  any 
light  upon  this  lamentable  affair. 

Sadayo,  although  hitherto  bound  to  secrecy,  felt  that 
the  time  had  come  when  it  was  wise,  indeed  essential,  to 
communicate  all  she  knew  in  the  matter.  She  told  her 
master  that  the  Princess  Aya  was  deeply  in  love  with 
the  young  samurai  wearing  the  robes  embroidered  with 
peonies,  adding  that  if  he  could  not  be  found  she  feared 
that  her  young  mistress  would  die. 

That  night,  while  a  celebrated  player  was  performing 
upon  the  biwa  in  the  hope  of  entertaining  the  sick 
Princess,  there  once  more  appeared  behind  the  peonies 
the  same  young  man  in  the  same  silk  robe. 

The  next  night,  too,  while  Yae  and  Yakumo  were 
playing  on  the  flute  and  koto,  the  young  man  appeared 
again. 

The  Princess  Aya's  father  now  resolved  to  get  at  the 
root  of  the  matter,  and  for  this  purpose  he  bade  Maki 
Hiogo  dress  in  black  and  lie  concealed  in  the  peony  bed 
on  the  following  night. 

When  the  next  night  came  Maki  Hiogo  lay  hidden 
among  the  peonies,  while  Yae  and  Yakumo  made  sweet 
172 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  PEONY 

music.  Not  long  after  the  music  had  sounded  the 
mysterious  young  samurai  again  appeared.  Maki  Hiogo 
rose  from  his  hiding-place  with  his  arms  tightly  bound 
round  this  strange  visitor.  A  cloud  seemed  to  emanate 
from  his  captive.  It  made  him  dizzy,  and  he  fell  to  the 
ground  still  tightly  holding  the  handsome  samurai. 

Just  as  a  number  of  guards  came  hurrying  to  the  spot 
Maki  Hiogo  regained  consciousness.  He  looked  down 
expecting  to  see  his  captive.  But  all  that  he  held  in  his 
arms  was  a  large  peony  ! 

By  this  time  Princess  Aya  and  her  father  joined  the 
astonished  group,  and  the  Lord  Naizen-no-jo  at  once 
grasped  the  situation.  "  I  see  now,"  said  he,  "  that  the 
spirit  of  the  peony  flower  had  a  moment  ago,  and  on 
former  occasions,  taken  the  form  of  a  young  and  hand- 
some samurai.  My  daughter,  you  must  take  this  flower 
and  treat  it  with  all  kindness." 

The  Princess  Aya  needed  to  be  told  no  more.  She 
returned  to  the  house,  placed  the  peony  in  a  vase,  and 
stood  it  byi  her  bedside.  Day  by  day  she  got  better, 
while  the  flower  flourished  exceedingly. 

When  the  Princess  Aya  was  quite  well  the  Lord  of 
Ako  arrived  at  the  castle,  bringing  with  him  his  second 
son,  whom  she  was  to  marry.  In  due  time  the  wedding 
took  place,  but  at  that  hour  the  beautiful  peony  suddenly 
died. 


CHAPTER  XIII :  TREES 

"  One  day  Kinto  Fujiwara,  Great  Adviser  of  State,  dis- 
puted with  the  Minister  of  Uji  which  was  the  fairest  of 
spring  and  autumn  flowers.  Said  the  Minister  :  '  The 
Cherry  is  surely  best  among  the  flowers  of  spring,  the 
Chrysanthemum  among  those  of  autumn.'  Then  Kinto 
said,  *  How  can  the  cherry-blossom  be  the  best  ?  You 
have  forgotten  the  Plum.'  Their  dispute  came  at  length 
to  be  confined  to  the  superiority  of  the  Cherry  and  Plum, 
and  of  other  flowers  little  notice  was  taken.  At  length 
Kinto,  not  wishing  to  offend  the  Minister,  did  not  argue 
so  vehemently  as  before,  but  said,  '  Well,  have  it  so  ;  the 
Cherry  may  be  the  prettier  of  the  two  ;  but  when  once 
you  have  seen  the  red  plum-blossom  in  the  snow  at  the 
dawn  of  a  spring  morning,  you  will  no  longer  forget  its 
beauty.'  This  truly  was  a  gentle  saying." 

"  The  Garden  of  Japan"  by  SIR  F.  T.  PIGGOTT. 

Cherry  and  Plum 

THE  supreme  floral  glory  of  Japan  takes  place  in 
April  with  the  coming  of  the  cherry-blossom,  and, 
as  we  have  seen  in  the  above  quotation,  it  is  the 
cherry  and  plum  that  are  regarded  with  the  most  favour. 
The  poet  MotoOri  wrote:  "  If  one  should  ask  you  con- 
cerning the  heart  of  a  true  Japanese,  point  to  the  wild 
cherry  flower  glowing  in  the  sun,"  and  Lafcadio  Hearn, 
without  the  least  exaggeration,  but  with  true  poetic  in- 
sight, has  compared  Japan 's  cherry-blossom  with  a  deli- 
cate sunset  that  has,  as  it  were,  strayed  from  the  sky 
and  lingered  about  the  leafless  branches. 

The  really  great  wonders  of  Nature,  to  those  who  are 
sufficiently  susceptible  to  the  beautiful,  are  apt  to  leave 
behind  an  indefinable  yearning,  a  regret  that  so  much 
loveliness  must  needs  pass  away,  and  this  gentle  touch  of 
sorrow  mingled  with  the  ecstasy  is  easily  discovered  in 
much  of  the  Japanese  poetry.  It  is  a  point  worthy  of 
emphasis  because  it  reveals  a  temperament  charged  with 
'74 


THE  CAMELLIA 

a  supreme  love  of  the  beautiful,  this  craving  for  a  petal 
that  shall  never  wither,  a  colour  that  shall  never  fade. 
Thus  sang  Korunushi : 

"  No  man  so  callous  but  he  heaves  a  sigh 
When  o'er  his  head  the  withered  cherry  flowers 
Come  fluttering  down.     Who  knows  ?  the  Spring's  soft  showers 
May  be  but  tears  shed  by  the  sorrowing  sky." 

Trans,  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

One  of  the  greatest  tributes  Japan  has  paid  to  the 
cherry  is  as  follows  :  "  The  cherry-trees  in  the  far-away 
mountain  villages  should  keep  back  their  blooms  until 
the  flowers  in  the  town  have  faded,  for  then  the  people 
will  go  out  to  see  them  too."  A  Japanese  woman's 
beauty  is  frequently  associated  with  the  cherry-blossom, 
while  her  virtue  is  compared  with  the  flower  of  the 
plum. 

The  Camellia 

The  Precious-Camellia  of  Yaegaki,  with  its  double 
trunk  and  immense  head,  is  of  great  age,  and  is  regarded 
as  so  sacred  that  it  is  surrounded  by  a  fence,  and  stone 
lamps  are  placed  about  it.  The  tree's  unique  shape, 
with  the  double  trunk  growing  together  in  the  middle, 
has  given  rise  to  the  belief  that  this  extraordinary  tree 
symbolises  a  happy  wedded  life,  and,  moreover,  that 
good  spirits  inhabit  it,  ever  ready  to  answer  the  ardent 
prayers  of  lovers. 

The  camellia-tree  is  not  always  beneficent.  A  legend 
is  recorded  of  a  tree  of  this  species  walking  about  at 
night  in  a  samurai  s  garden  at  Matsue.  Its  strange  and 
restless  wanderings  became  so  frequent  that  at  last  the 
tree  was  cut  down,  and  it  is  said  that  when  it  was  struck 
it  shot  forth  a  stream  of  blood. 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

• 
The  Cryptomeria 

Another  tree  held  in  high  veneration  is  the  imposing 
cryptomeria,  and  there  is  one  avenue  of  these  trees 
stretching  from  Utsunomiya  to  Nikko,  a  distance  of 
twenty  miles.  One  of  these  trees  is  seven  feet  in  diameter, 
and  is  said  to  have  been  planted  "by  a  deputation 
representing  eight  hundred  Buddhist  nuns  of  the  pro- 
vince of  Wakasa."  Later  on  in  this  chapter  we  give  a 
legend  connected  with  this,  particular  tree. 

A  Pine-tree  and  the  God  of  Roads 

In  the  grounds  of  the  great  hakaba  (cemetery)  of  the 
Kwannondera  is  a  pine-tree  standing  upon  four  great 
roots  that  have  the  appearance  of  gigantic  legs.  About 
this  tree  is  a  fence,i  shrine,  and  a  number  of  torn.  Before 
the  shrine  repose  miniature  horses  made  from  srvaw. 
These  are  offerings  to  Koshin,  the  God  of  Roads,  en- 
treaties that  the  real  horses  which  they  symbolise  may  be 
preserved  from  death  or  sickness.  The  pine-tree,  how- 
ever, is  not  usually  associated  with  Koshin.  It  may  be 
fittingly  described  as  the  most  domestic  of  Japanese  trees, 
for  it  takes  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  New  Year  festival  * 
— a  tree  to  plant  at  the  garden  gate,  because  it  is  said  to 
bring  good  luck  and,  especially,  happy  marriages. 

A  Tree  Spirit 

As  we  shall  see  in  the  legends  that  follow,  more  than 
one  variety  of  Japanese  trees  is  endowed  with  super- 
natural power.  There  is  a  tree  spirit  known  as 
Ki-no-o-bake  that  is  capable  of  walking  about  and 
assuming  various  guises.  The  spirit  of  the  tree  speaks 
but  little,  and  if  disturbed  disappears  into  the  trunk  or 
among  the  leaves.  The  spirit  of  the  God  Kojin2  resides 

1  See  Chapter  XVII.  2  See  Chapter  XVI. 

176 


WILLOW  WIFE 

in  the  enoki  tree,  the  God  to  whom  very  old  dolls  are 

dedicated. 

The  Miraculous  Chestnut 

The  Princess  Hinako-Nai-Shinno  begged  that  chest- 
nuts should  be  brought  to  her  ;  but  she  took  but  one, 
bit  it,  and  threw  it  away.  It  took  root,  and  upon  all 
the  chestnuts  thati  it  eventually  bore  there  were  the 
marks  of  the  Princess's  small  teeth.  In  honouring  her 
death  the  chestnut  had  expressed  its  devotion  in  this 
strange  way. 

The  Silent  Pine 

The  Emperor  Go-Toba,  who  strongly  objected  to  the 
croaking  of  frogs,  was  on  one  occasion  disturbed  by 
a  wind-blown  pine-tree.  When  his  Majesty  loudly 
commanded  it  to  be  still,  the  pine-tree  never  for  a 
moment  moved  again.  So  greatly  impressed  was  this 
obedient  tree  that  the  fiercest  wind  failed  to  stir  its 
branches,  or  even  its  myriad  pine-needles. 

Willow  Wife1 

"  I  have  heard  of  the  magical  incense  that  summons  the  souls  of  the 

absent  ; 

Would  I  had  some  to  burn,  in  the  nights  when  I  wait  alone/' 

From  the  "Japanese. 

In  a  certain  Japanese  village  there  grew  a  great  willow- 
tree.  For  many  generations  the  people  loved  it.  In 
the  summer  it  was  a  resting-place,  a  place  where  the 
villagers  might  meet  after  the  work  and  heat  of  the  day 
were  over,  and  there  talk  till  the  moonlight  streamed 
through  the  branches.  In  winter  it  was  like  a  great 
half-opened  umbrella  covered  with  sparkling  snow. 

1  This  story  and  the  one  that  follows  have  been  adapted  from 
Ancient  Tales  and  folk-lore  of  Japan,  by  R.  Gordon  Smith. 

M  177 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Heitaro,  a  young  farmer,  lived  quite  near  this  tree, 
and  he,  more  than  any  of  his  companions,  had  entered 
into  a  deep  communion  with  the  imposing  willow.  It 
was  almost  the  first  object  he  saw  upon  waking,  and 
upon  his  return  from  work  in  the  fields  he  looked  out 
eagerly  for  its  familiar  form.  Sometimes  he  would 
burn  a  joss-stick  beneath  its  branches  and  kneel  down 
and  pray. 

One  day  an  old  man  of  the  village  came  to  Heitaro 
and  explained  to  him  that  the  villagers  were  anxious  to 
build  a  bridge  over  the  river,  and  that  they  particularly 
wanted  the  great  willow-tree  for  timber. 

"  For  timber  ?  "  said  Heitaro,  hiding  his  face  in  his 
hands.  "  My  dear  willow-tree  for  a  bridge,  one  to  bear 
the  incessant  patter  of  feet  ?  Never,  never,  old  man  !  " 

When  Heitaro  had  somewhat  recovered  himself,  he 
offered  to  give  the  old  man  some  of  his  own  trees,  if 
he  and  the  villagers  would  accept  them  for  timber  and 
spare  the  ancient  willow. 

The  old  man  readily  accepted  this  offer,  and  the 
willow-tree  continued  to  stand  in  the  village  as  it  had 
stood  for  so  many  years. 

One  night  while  Heitaro  sat  under  the  great  willow 
he  suddenly  saw  a  beautiful  woman  standing  close  beside 
him,  looking  at  him  shyly,  as  if  wanting  to  speak. 

"  Honourable  lady,"  said  he,  "  I  will  go  home.  I 
see  you  wait  for  some  one.  Heitaro  is  not  without 
kindness  towards  those  who  love." 

:c  He  will  not  come  now,"  said  the  woman,  smiling. 

"  Can  he  have  grown  cold  ?  Oh,  how  terrible  when 
a  mock  love  comes  and  leaves  ashes  and  a  grave 
behind ! " 

"  He  has  not  grown  cold,  dear  lord." 

"  And  yet  he  does  not  come  !    What  strange  mystery 
is  this  ?  " 
178 


WILLOW  WIFE 

"  He  has  come  !  His  heart  has  been  always  here, 
here  under  this  willow-tree."  And  with  a  radiant  smile 
the  woman  disappeared. 

Night  after  night  they  met  under  the  old  willow- 
tree.  The  woman's  shyness  had  entirely  disappeared, 
and  it  seemed  that  she  could  not  hear  too  much  from 
Heitaro's  lips  in  praise  of  the  willow  under  which  they 
sat. 

One  night  he  said  to  her :  "  Little  one,  will  you  be  my 
wife — you  who  seem  to  come  from  the  very  tree  itself  ? " 

"  Yes,"  said  the  woman.  "  Call  me  Higo  ("  Willow ' ') 
and  ask  no  questions,  for  love  of  me.  J  have  no  father 
or  mother,  and  some  day  you  will  understand." 

Heitaro  and  Higo  were  married,  and  in  due  time  they 
were  blessed  with  a  child,  whom  they  called  Chiyodo. 
Simple  was  their  dwelling,  but  those  it  contained  were 
the  happiest  people  in  all  Japan. 

While  this  happy  couple  went  about  their  respective 
duties  great  news  came  to  the  village.  The  villagers 
were  full  of  it,  and  it  was  not  long  before  it  reached 
Heitaro's  ears.  The  ex-Emperor  Toba  wished  to  build 
a  temple  to  Kwannon l  in  Kyoto,  and  those  in  authority 
sent  far  and  wide  for  timber.  The  villagers  said  that 
they  must  contribute  towards  building  the  sacred  edifice 
by  presenting  their  great  willow-tree.  All  Heitaro's 
argument  and  persuasion  and  promise  of  other  trees 
were  ineffectual,  for  neither  he  nor  any  one  else  could 
give  as  large  and  handsome  a  tree  as  the  great  willow. 

Heitaro  went  home  and  told  his  wife.  "  Oh,  wife," 
said  he,  "  they  are  about  to  cut  down  our  dear  willow- 
tree  !  Before  I  married  you  I  could  not  have  borne  it. 
Having  you,  little  one,  perhaps  I  shall  get  over  it  some 
day." 

That  night  Heitaro  was  aroused  by  hearing  a  piercing 

i  See  Chapter  XV. 

179 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

cry.  "  Heitaro,"  said  his  wife,  "  it  grows  dark  !  The 
room  is  full  of  whispers.  Are  you  there,  Heitaro  ?  Hark ! 
They  are  cutting  down  the  willow-tree.  Look  how  its 
shadow  trembles  in  the  moonlight.  I  am  the  soul  of  the 
willow-tree  !  The  villagers  are  killing  me.  Oh,  how 
they  cut  and  tear  me  to  pieces !  Dear  Heitaro,  the 
pain,  the  pain  !  Put  your  hands  here,  and  here.  Surely 
the  blows  cannot  fall  now  ?  " 

"  My  Willow  Wife  !  My  Willow  Wife  !  "  sobbed 
Heitaro. 

"Husband,"  said  Higo,  very  faintly,  pressing  her 
wet,  agonised  face  close  to  his,  "  I  am  going  now. 
Such  a  love  as  ours  cannot  be  cut  down,  however  fierce 

the  blows.  I  shall  wait  for  you  and  Chiyodo My  hair 

is  falling  through  the  sky  !  My  body  is  breaking  !  " 

There  was  a  loud  crash  outside.  The  great  willow- 
tree  lay  green  and  dishevelled  upon  the  ground. 
Heitaro  looked  round  for  her  he  loved  more  than  any- 
thing else  in  the  world.  Willow  Wife  had  gone  ! 

The  Tree  of  the  One-eyed  Priest 

In  ancient  days  there  stood  on  the  summit  of  Oki- 
yama  a  temple  dedicated  to  Fudo,  a  god  surrounded 
by  fire,  with  sword  in  one  hand  and  rope  in  the  other. 
For  twenty  years  Yenoki  had  performed  his  office,  and 
one  of  his  duties  was  to  guard  Fudo,  who  sat  in  a  shrine, 
only  accessible  to  the  high-priest  himself.  During  the 
whole  of  this  period  Yenoki  had  rendered  faithful 
service  and  resisted  the  temptation  to  take  a  peep  at 
this  extremely  ugly  god.  One  morning,  finding  that 
the  door  of  the  shrine  was  not  quite  closed,  his  curiosity 
overcame  him  and  he  peeped  within.  No  sooner  had 
he  done  so  than  he  became  stone-blind  in  one  eye  and 
suffered  the  humiliation  of  being  turned  into  a 

1  A  long-nosed  creature  referred  to  elsewhere. 
180 


THE  TREE  OF  THE  ONE-EYED  PRIEST 

He  lived  for  a  year  after  these  deplorable  happen- 
ings, and  then  died.  His  spirit  passed  into  a  great 
cryptomeria-tree  standing  on  the  east  side  of  the  moun- 
tain, and  from  that  day  Yenoki's  spirit  was  invoked  by 
sailors  who  were  harassed  by  storms  on  the  Chinese 
Sea.  If  a  light  blazed  from  the  tree  in  answer  to  their 
prayers,  it  was  a  sure  sign  that  the  storm  would  abate. 

At  the  foot  of  Oki-yama  there  was  a  village,  where, 
sad  to  relate,  the  young  people  were  very  lax  in  their 
morals.  During  the  Festival  of  the  Dead  they  per- 
formed a  dance  known  as  the  Bon  Odori.  These 
dances  were  very  wild  affairs  indeed,  and  were  accom- 
panied by  flirtations  of  a  violent  and  wicked  nature. 
The  dances  became  more  unrestrained  as  years  went  by, 
and  the  village  got  a  bad  name  for  immoral  practices 
among  the  young  people. 

After  a  particularly  wild  celebration  of  the  Bon  a 
young  maiden  named  Kimi  set  out  to  find  her  lover, 
Kurosuke.  Instead  of  finding  him  she  saw  an  ex- 
tremely good-looking  youth,  who  smiled  upon  her  and 
continually  beckoned.  Kimi  forgot  all  about  Kurosuke ; 
indeed,  from  that  moment  she  hated  him  and  eagerly 
followed  the  enticing  youth.  Nine  fair  but  wicked 
maidens  disappeared  from  the  village  in  a  similar  way, 
and  always  it  was  the  same  youth  who  lured  them 
astray  in  this  mysterious  manner. 

The  elders  of  the  village  consulted  together,  and 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  spirit  of  Yenoki  was 
angry  with  the  excesses  connected  with  the  Bon  festival, 
and  had  assumed  the  form  of  a  handsome  youth  for 
the  purpose  of  administering  severe  admonition.  The 
Lord  of  Kishiwada  accordingly  summoned  Sonob6  to 
his  presence,  and  bade  him  journey  to  the  great  crypto- 
meria-tree on  Oki-yama. 

When    Sonobe    reached    his    destination    he    thus 

181 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

addressed  the  ancient  tree  :  "Oh,  home  of  Yenoki's 
spirit,  I  upbraid  you  for  carrying  away  our  daughters. 
If  this  continues  I  shall  cut  down  the  tree,  so  that  you 
will  be  compelled  to  seek  lodging  elsewhere." 

Sonob£  had  no  sooner  spoken  than  rain  began  to  fall, 
and  he  heard  the  rumblings  of  a  mighty  earthquake. 
Then  from  out  of  the  tree  Yenoki's  spirit  suddenly 
appeared.  He  explained  that  many  of  the  young  people 
of  Sonobe's  village  had  offended  against  the  Gods  by 
their  misconduct,  and  that  he  had,  as  conjectured, 
assumed  the  form  of  a  handsome  youth  in  order  to  take 
away  the  principal  offenders.  "  You  will  find  them," 
added  the  spirit  of  Yenoki,  "bound  to  trees  on  the 
second  summit  of  this  mountain.  Go,  release  them, 
and  allow  them  to  return  to  the  village.  They  have 
not  only  repented  of  their  follies,  but  will  now  persuade 
others  to  live  nobler  and  purer  lives."  And  with  these 
words  Yenoki  disappeared  into  his  tree. 

Sonobe  set  off  to  the  second  summit  and  released  the 
maidens.  They  returned  to  their  homes,  good  and 
dutiful  daughters,  and  from  that  day  to  this  the  Gods 
have  been  well  satisfied  with  the  general  behaviour  of 
the  village  that  nestles  at  the  foot  of  Oki-yama. 

The  Burning  of  Three  Dwarf  Trees 

In  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Go-Fukakusa  there  lived 
a  celebrated  Regent,  Saimyoji  Tokiyori.  When  thirty 
years  of  age  this  Regent  retired  to  a  monastery  for 
several  years,  and  not  infrequently  his  peace  of  mind 
was  sadly  disturbed  by  stories  of  peasants  who  suffered 
at  the  hands  of  tyrannical  officials.  Now  Tokiyori 
loved  above  everything  the  welfare  of  his  people,  and 
after  giving  the  matter  careful  consideration  he  deter- 
mined to  disguise  himself,  travel  from  place  to  place, 
and  discover  in  an  intimate  way  the  heart  of  the  poorer 
182 


THE  BURNING  OF  THREE  DWARF  TREES 

people,  and  later  on  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  suppress 
malpractice  on  the  part  of  various  officials. 

Tokiyori  accordingly  set  out  upon  his  excellent 
mission,  and  finally  came  to  Sano,  in  the  province  of 
Kozuki.  Now  it  was  the  time  of  winter,  and  a  heavy 
snowstorm  caused  the  royal  wanderer  to  lose  his  way. 
After  wearily  tramping  about  for  several  hours  in  the 
hope  of  finding  shelter,  he  was  about  to  make  the  best 
of  the  matter  by  sleeping  under  a  tree  when,  to  his  joy, 
he  noticed  a  small  thatched  cottage  nestling  under  a 
hill  at  no  great  distance.  To  this  cottage  he  went, 
and  explained  to  the  woman  who  greeted  him  that  he 
had  lost  his  way  and  would  be  much  indebted  to  her 
if  she  would  afford  him  shelter  for  the  night.  The 
good  woman  explained  that  as  her  husband  was  away 
from  home,  it  would  be  disloyal  as  his  wife  to  give 
shelter  to  a  stranger.  Tokiyori  not  only  took  this  reply 
in  good  part,  but  he  greatly  rejoiced,  in  spite  of  a  night 
in  the  snow,  to  find  such  a  virtuous  woman.  But  he 
had  not  gone  far  from  the  cottage  when  he  heard  a  man 
calling  to  him.  Tokiyori  stood  still,  and  presently  he 
saw  some  one  beckoning  him.  The  man  explained  that 
he  was  the  husband  of  the  woman  the  ex-Regent  had 
just  left,  and  cordially  invited  one  whom  he  took  to  be 
a  wandering  priest  to  return  with  him  and  accept  such 
humble  hospitality  as  was  available. 

When  Tokiyori  was  sitting  in  the  little  cottage 
simple  fare  was  spread  before  him,  and  as  he  had  eaten 
nothing  since  the  morning  he  did  full  justice  to  the 
meal.  But  the  fact  that  millet  and  not  rice  was  provided 
clearly  conveyed  to  the  observant  Tokiyori  that  here 
was  poverty  indeed,  but  with  it  all  a  generosity  that 
went  straight  to  his  heart.  Nor  was  this  all,  for,  the 
meal  finished,  they  gathered  round  the  fire  that  was  fast 
dying  out  for  want  of  fuel.  The  good  man  of  the  house 

183 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

turned  to  the  fuel-box.  Alas  !  it  was  empty.  Without 
a  moment's  hesitation  he  went  out  into  the  garden, 
heavily  covered  with  snow,  and  brought  back  with  him 
three  pots  of  dwarf  trees,  pine,  plum,  and  cherry.  Now 
in  Japan  dwarf  trees  are  held  in  high  esteem  ;  much  time 
and  care  is  bestowed  upon  them,  and  their  age  and 
unique  beauty  have  made  them  dear  to  the  people  of 
Nippon.  In  spite  of  Tokiyori's  remonstrance  his  host 
broke  up  these  little  trees,  and  thus  made  a  cheerful  blaze. 

It  was  this  incident,  scarcely  to  be  fully  appreciated 
by  a  Westerner,  that  caused  Tokiyori  to  question  his 
host,  whose  very  possession  of  these  valuable  trees 
strongly  suggested  that  this  generous  man  was  not  a 
farmer  by  birth,  but  had  taken  to  this  calling  by  force  of 
circumstance.  The  ex-Regent's  conjecture  proved  to 
be  correct,  and  his  host,  with  some  reluctance,  finally 
explained  that  he  was  a  samurai  by  the  name  of  Sano 
Genzalmon  Tsuneyo.  He  had  been  forced  to  take  up 
farming  owing  to  the  dishonesty  of  one  of  his  relatives. 

Tokiyori  readily  recalled  the  name  of  this  samurai 
before  him,  and  suggested  that  he  should  make  an 
appeal  for  redress.  Sano  explained  that  as  the  good 
and  just  Regent  had  died  (so  he  thought),  and  as  his 
successor  was  very  young,  he  considered  it  was  worse 
than  useless  to  present  a  petition.  But,  nevertheless, 
he  went  on  to  explain  to  his  interested  listener  that 
should  there  come  a  call  to  arms  he  would  be  the  first 
to  make  an  appearance  at  Kamakura.  It  was  this 
thought  of  some  day  being  of  use  to  his  country  that 
had  sweetened  the  days  of  his  poverty. 

The  conversation,  so  rapidly  suggested  in  this  story, 
was  in  reality  a  lengthy  one,  and  by  the  time  it  was  con- 
cluded already  a  new  day  had  begun.  And  when  the 
storm-doors  had  been  opened  it  was  to  reveal  sunlight 
streaming  over  a  world  of  snow.  Before  taking  his 
184 


THE  BURNING  OF  THREE  DWARF  TREES 

departure  Tokiyori  warmly  thanked  his  host  and  hostess 
for  their  hospitality.  When  this  kindly  visitor  had  gone 
Sano  suddenly  remembered  that  he  had  forgotten  to 
inquire  the  name  of  his  guest. 

Now  it  happened  that  in  the  following  spring  a  call 
to  arms  was  instituted  by  the  Government  at  Kamakura. 
No  sooner  had  Sano  heard  the  joyful  news  than  he  set 
out  to  obey  the  summons.  His  armour  was  shabby  in 
the  extreme,  his  halberd  covered  with  rust,  and  his 
horse  was  in  a  very  poor  condition.  He  presented  a 
sorry  fig\ire  among  the  resplendent  knights  he  found  in 
Kamakura.  Many  of  these  knights  made  uncompli- 
mentary remarks  concerning  him,  but  Sano  bore  this 
insolence  without  a  word.  While  he  stood,  a  forlorn 
figure,  among  the  sparkling  ranks  of  samurai  about  him, 
a  herald  approached  riding  on  a  magnificent  horse,  and 
carrying  a  banner  bearing  the  house-crest  of  the  Regent. 
With  a  loud,  clear  voice  he  bade  the  knight  wearing  the 
shabbiest  armour  to  appear  before  his  master.  Sano 
obeyed  the  summons  with  a  heavy  heart.  He  thought 
that  the  Regent  was  about  to  rebuke  him  for  appearing 
in  such  a  gaily  decked  company  clad  in  such  miserable 
accoutrements. 

This  humble  knight  was  surprised  by  the  cordial 
welcome  he  received,  and  still  more  surprised  when  a 
servant  pushed  aside  the  screens  of  an  adjoining  room 
and  revealed  the  Regent  Saimyoji  Tokiyori,  who  was 
none  other  than  the  priest  who  had  taken  shelter  in  his 
little  home.  Nor  had  Tokiyori  forgotten  the  burning 
of  the  dwarf  pine,  plum,  and  cherry-trees.  Out  of  that 
sacrifice,  readily  given  without  a  thought  of  gain,  came 
the  thirty  villages  of  which  Sano  had  been  robbed.  This 
was  only  Sano's  due,  and  in  addition  the  grateful 
Tokiyori  had  the  happy  idea  of  presenting  this  faithful 
knight  with  the  village  of  Matsu-idu,  Umeda,  and 

185 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Sakurai,  matsu,  umey  and  sakura  being  the  Japanese  names 
for  pine,  plum,  and  cherry. 

The  Pine-tree  Lovers 

"  The  dawn  is  near, 
And  the  hoar-frost  falls 
On  the  fir-tree  twigs  ; 
But  its  leaves'  dark  green 
Suffer  no  change. 
Morning  and  evening 
Beneath  its  shade 
The  leaves  are  swept  away, 
Yet  they  never  fail. 
True  it  is 
That  these  fir-trees 
Shed  not  all  their  leaves ; 
Their  verdure  remains  fresh 
For  ages  long, 

As  the  Masaka  trailing  vine ; 
Even  amongst  evergreen  trees — 
The  emblem  of  unchangeableness — 
Exalted  is  their  fame 
As  a  symbol  to  the  end  of  time — 
The  fame  of  the  fir-trees  that  have  grown 
old  together." 

"  Takasago."     (Trans,  by  W.  G.  ASTON.) 

The  Takasago  is  generally  considered  one  of  the  finest 
of  the  Noy  or  classical  dramas.  The  No  was  performed 
by  statuesque  players  who  chanted  in  an  ancient  dialect. 
It  belonged  to  that  period  of  Japanese  formality  fittingly 
described  as  "  Heav'n  to  hear  tell  about,  but  Hell  to 
see."  The  theme  of  the  Takasago  seems  to  be  a  relic  of  a 
phallic  cult  common  enough  in  the  history  of  primitive 
nations.  The  pine-tree  of  Takasago  symbolises  longe- 
vity, and  in  the  following  chorus  from  this  drama  we 
may  gather  the  potency  of  this  evergreen  tree  : 

"  And  now,  world  without  end, 

The  extended  ajras  of  the  dancing  maidens 
186 


THE  PINE-TREE  LOVERS 

In  sacerdotal  robes 

Will  expel  noxious  influences; 

Their  hands  folded  to  rest  in  their  bosoms 

Will  embrace  all  good  fortune ; 

The  hymn  of  a  thousand  autumns 

Will  draw  down  blessings  on  the  people, 

And  the  song  of  ten  thousand  years 

Prolong  our  sovereign's  life. 

And  all  the  while 

The  voice  of  the  breeze, 

As  it  blows  through  the  firs 

That  grow  old  together, 

Will  yield  us  delight." 

The  efficacy  of  the  pine-tree  is  still  believed  in  to  this 
day.  It  is  conspicuous  in  the  festival  of  the  San-ga-nichi, 
when  pine  branches  decorate  the  gateways  during  the 
New  Year  festivities.  Both  this  use  of  the  pine-tree  and 
that  of  this  particular  Nv  drama  owe  their  origin  to  the 
great  pine-tree  of  Takasago,  about  which  we  narrate  the 
following  legend. 

In  ancient  days  there  lived  at  Takasago  a  fisherman, 
his  wife,  and  little  daughter  Matsue.  There  was 
nothing  that  Matsue  loved  to  do  more  than  to  sit 
under  the  great  pine-tree.  She  was  particularly  fond  of 
the  pine-needles  that  never  seemed  tired  of  falling  to 
the  ground.  With  these  she  fashioned  a  beautiful  dress 
and  sash,  saying :  "  I  will  not  wear  these  pine-clothes 
until  my  wedding-day." 

One  day,  while  Matsue  was  sitting  under  the  pine- 
tree,  she  sang  the  following  song : 

"  No  man  so  callous  but  he  heaves  a  sigh 
When  o'er  his  head  the  withered  cherry  flowers 
Come  fluttering  down.     Who  knows  ?  the  Spring's  soft  showers 
May  be  but  tears  shed  by  the  sorrowing  sky." 

While  she  thus  sang  Teoyo  stood  on  the  steep  shore 
of  Sumiyoshi  watching  the  flight  of  a  heron.  Up,  up 

187 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

it  went  into  the  blue  sky,  and  Teoyo  saw  it  fly  over  the 
village  where  the  fisherfolk  and  their  daughter  lived. 

Now  Teoyo  was  a  youth  who  dearly  loved  adventure, 
and  he  thought  it  would  be  very  delightful  to  swim 
across  the  sea  and  discover  the  land  over  which  the 
heron  had  flown.  So  one  morning  he  dived  into  the 
sea  and  swam  so  hard  and  so  long  that  the  poor  fellow 
found  the  waves  spinning  and  dancing,  and  saw  the 
great  sky  bend  down  and  try  to  touch  him.  Then  he 
lay  unconscious  on  the  water  ;  but  the  waves  were  kind 
to  him  after  all,  for  they  pressed  him  on  and  on  till  he 
was  washed  up  at  the  very  place  where  Matsue  sat 
under  the  pine-tree. 

Matsue  carefully  dragged  Teoyo  underneath  the 
sheltering  branches,  and  then  set  him  down  upon  a 
couch  of  pine-needles,  where  he  soon  regained  conscious- 
ness, and  warmly  thanked  Matsue  for  her  kindness. 

Teoyo  did  not  go  back  to  his  own  country,  for  after 
a  few  happy  months  had  gone  by  he  married  Matsue, 
and  on  her  wedding  morn  she  wore  her  dress  and  sash 
of  pine-needles. 

When  Matsue's  parents  died  her  loss  only  seemed 
to  make  her  love  Teoyo  the  more.  The  older  they 
grew  the  more  they  loved  each  other.  Every  night, 
when  the  moon  shone,  they  went  hand  in  hand  to  the 
pine-tree,  and  with  their  little  rakes  they  made  a  couch 
for  the  morrow. 

One  night  the  great  silver  face  of  the  moon  peered 
through  the  branches  of  the  pine-tree  and  looked  in 
vain  for  the  old  lovers  sitting  together  on  a  couch  of 
pine-needles.  Their  little  rakes  lay  side  by  side,  and 
still  the  moon  waited  for  the  slow  and  stumbling  steps 
of  the  Pine-Tree  Lovers.  But  that  night  they  did  not 
come.  They  had  gone  home  to  an  everlasting  resting- 
place  on  the  River  of  Souls.  They  had  loved  so  well 
1 88 


THE  PINE-TREE  LOVERS 

and  so  splendidly,  in  old  age  as  well  as  in  youth, 
that  the  Gods  allowed  their  souls  to  come  back  again 
and  wander  round  the  pine-tree  that  had  listened  to 
their  love  for  so  many  years.  When  the  moon  is  full 
they  whisper  and  laugh  and  sing  and  draw  the  pine- 
needles  together,  while  the  sea  sings  softly  upon  the 
shore. 


189 


CHAPTER  XIV :  MIRRORS 

"  As  the  sword  is  the  soul  of  a  samurai,  so  is  the  mirror 
the  soul  of  a  woman." 

"  When  the  mirror  is  dim  the  soul  is  unclean." 

Japanese  Proverbs. 

The  Significance  of  Japanese  Mirrors 

OLD  Japanese  metal  mirrors  are  circular,  the 
surface  convex,  and  the  back  adorned  with 
elaborate  designs  in  relief  of  flowers,  birds,  and 
other  scenes  from  Nature.  Professor  B.  H.  Chamber- 
lain writes  :  "  An  extraordinary  peculiarity  characterises 
some  of  these  Japanese  mirrors :  sunlight  reflected  from 
their  face  displays  a  luminous  image i  of  the  design  on 
their  back  !  So  strange  a  phenomenon  has  naturally 
attracted  the  attention  of  men  of  science.  After  much 
speculation,  it  has  been  clearly  proved  by  Professors 
Ayrton  and  Perry  to  arise  from  the  fact  that  the  curva- 
ture of  the  face  of  the  mirror  over  the  plain  part  of 
the  back  is  greater  than  over  the  design."  It  is  the 
phenomenon  rather  than  the  possible  explanation  of  it 
that  interests  us,  and  no  doubt  this  strange  occurrence 
accounts  in  some  measure  for  the  magical  significance 
of  Nipponese  mirrors. 

The  great  legendary  idea  underlying  Japanese  mirrors 
is  just  this,  that  the  mirror,  through  constant  reflection 
of  its  owner's  face,  draws  to  itself  the  very  soul  of  its 
possessor,  and,  as  we  shall  see  later  on,  something  of 
the  same  idea  is  to  be  traced  in  regard  to  old  but  much- 
loved  Japanese  dolls. 

Hidari  Jingoro 

The  famous  sculptor  Hidari  JingorO  on  one  occasion 
happened  to  fall  in  love  with  a  very  attractive  woman 
whom  he  met  in  the  street  on  his  return  to  his  studio.  He 
190 


THE  SOUL  OF  A  MIRROR 

was  so  fascinated  by  her  rare  beauty  that  as  soon  as  he  had 
reached  his  destination  he  commenced  to  carve  a  statue 
of  her.  Between  the  chiselled  robes  he  placed  a  mirror, 
the  mirror  which  the  lovely  woman  had  dropped,  and 
which  her  eager  lover  had  at  once  picked  up.  Because 
this  mirror  had  reflected  a  thousand  thousand  times 
that  fair  face,  it  had  taken  to  its  shining  surface  the  very 
body  and  soul  of  its  owner,  and  because  of  these  strange 
things  the  statue  came  to  life,  to  the  extreme  happiness 
of  sculptor  and  maid. 

The  Divine  Mirror 

Long  before  the  Japanese  mirror  was  a  familiar  object 
in  the  house  it  had  a  very  deep  religious  significance  in 
connection  with  Shintoism.  The  Divine  Mirror  into 
which  the  Sun  Goddess  gazed  reposes  at  Ise.  Other 
mirrors  are  to  be  found  in  Shinto  shrines  ;  indeed, 
these  mirrors  are  the  essential  part  of  a  shrine  remarkable 
for  its  simplicity.  The  mirror  "typifies  the  human 
heart,  which,  when  perfectly  placid  and  clear,  reflects 
the  very  image  of  the  deity."  In  the  Kojiki  we  are  told 
that  Izanagi  presented  his  children  with  a  polished  silver 
disc,  and  bade  them  kneel  before  it  every  morning  and 
evening  and  examine  their  reflections.  He  told  them 
to  think  of  heavenly  things,  to  stifle  passion  and  all  evil 
thought,  so  that  the  disc  should  reveal  a  pure  and 
lovely  soul; 

The  Soul  of  a  Mirror 

The  shrine  of  Ogawachi-Myojin  fell  into  decay,  and 
the  Shinto  priest  in  charge,  Matsumura,  journeyed  to 
Kyoto  in  the  hope  of  successfully  appealing  to  the 
ShOgun  for  a  grant  for  the  restoration  of  the  temple. 

Matsumura  and  his  family  resided  in  a  house  in 
Kyoto,  said  to  be  extremely  unlucky,  and  many  tenants 

191 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

had  thrown  themselves  into  the  well  on  the  north-east 
side  of  the  dwelling.  But  Matsumura  took  no  notice 
of  these  tales,  and  was  not  the  least  afraid  of  evil 
spirits. 

During  the  summer  of  that  year  there  was  a  great 
drought  in  Kyoto.  Though  the  river-beds  dried  up 
and  many  wells  failed  for  want  of  rain,  the  well  in 
Matsumura's  garden  was  full  to  overflowing.  The 
distress  elsewhere,  owing  to  want  of  water,  forced  many 
poor  people  to  beg  for  it,  and  for  all  their  drawing  the 
water  in  this  particular  well  did  not  diminish. 

One  day,  however,  a  dead  body  was  found  lying  in 
the  well,  that  of  a  servant  who  had  come  to  fetch 
water.  In  his  case  suicide  was  out  of  the  question,  and 
it  seemed  impossible  that  he  should  have  accidentally 
fallen  in.  When  Matsumura  heard  of  the  fatality  he  went 
to  inspect  the  well.  To  his  surprise  the  water  stirred 
with  a  strange  rocking  movement.  When  the  motion 
lessened  he  saw  reflected  in  the  clear  water  the  form 
of  a  fair  young  woman.  She  was  touching  her  lips 
with  bent.  At  length  she  smiled  upon  him.  It  was  a 
strange  smile  that  made  Matsumura  feel  dizzy,  a  smile 
that  blotted  out  everything  else  save  the  beautiful 
woman's  face.  He  felt  an  almost  irresistible  desire  to 
fling  himself  into  the  water  in  order  that  he  might  reach 
and  hold  this  enchanting  woman.  He  struggled  against 
this  strange  feeling,  however,  and  was  able  after  a  while 
to  enter  the  house,  where  he  gave  orders  that  a  fence 
should  be  built  round  the  well,  and  that  from  thence- 
forth no  one,  on  any  pretext  whatever,  should  draw 
water  there. 

Shortly  afterwards  the  drought  came  to  an  end.  For 
three  days  and  nights  there  was  a  continuous  downpour 
of  rain,  and  the  city  shook  with  an  earthquake.  On 
the  third  night  of  the  storm  there  was  a  loud  knocking 
192 


THE  SOUL  OF  A  MIRROR 

at  Matsumura' s  door.  The  priest  himself  inquired 
who  his  visitor  might  be.  He  half  opened  the  door, 
and  saw  once  more  the  woman  he  had  seen  in 
the  well.  He  refused  her  admission,  and  asked  why 
she  had  been  guilty  of  taking  the  lives  of  so  many 
harmless  and  innocent  people. 

Thus  the  woman  made  answer  :  "  Alas  !  good  priest, 
T  have  never  desired  to  lure  human  beings  to  their 
death.  It  is  the  Poison  Dragon,  who  lived  in  that 
well,  who  forced  me  against  my  will  to  entice  people  to 
death.  But  now  the  Gods  have  compelled  the  Poison 
Dragon  to  live  elsewhere,  so  that  to-night  I  was  able 
to  leave  my  place  of  captivity.  Now  there  is  but  little 
water  in  the  well,  and  if  you  will  search  there  you  will 
find  my  body.  Take  care  of  it  for  me,  and  1  shall  not 
fail  to  reward  your  goodness."  With  these  words  she 
vanished  as  suddenly  as  she  had  appeared. 

Next  day  well-cleaners  searched  the  well,  and  discovered 
some  ancient  hair  ornaments  and  an  old  metal  mirror. 

Matsumura,  being  a  wise  man,  took  the  mirror  and 
cleaned  it,  believing  that  it  might  reveal  a  solution  to 
the  mystery. 

Upon  the  back  of  the  mirror  he  discovered  several 
characters.  Many  of  the  ideographs  were  too  blurred  to 
be  legible,  but  he  managed  to  make  out  "  third  month, 
the  third  day."  In  ancient  time  the  third  month  used 
to  be  called  Tayoi,  or  Month  of  Increase,  and  re- 
membering that  the  woman  had  called  herself  Yayoi, 
Matsumura  realised  that  he  had  probably  received  a 
visit  from  the  Soul  of  the  Mirror. 

Matsumura  took  every  care  of  the  mirror.  He 
ordered  it  to  be  resilvered  and  polished,  and  when  this 
had  been  done  he  laid  it  in  a  box  specially  made  for  it, 
and  mirror  and  box  were  placed  in  a  particular  room  in 
the  house. 

N  193 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

One  day,  when  Matsumura  was  sitting  in  the  apart- 
ment where  the  mirror  reposed,  he  once  more  saw  Yayoi 
standing  before  him,  looking  more  beautiful  than  ever, 
and  the  refulgence  of  her  beauty  was  like  summer 
moonlight.  After  she  had  saluted  Matsumura  she 
explained  that  she  was  indeed  the  Soul  of  the  Mirror, 
and  narrated  how  she  had  fallen  into  the  possession  of 
Lady  Kamo,  of  the  Imperial  Court,  and  how  she  had 
become  an  heirloom  of  the  Fujiwara  House,  until 
during  the  period  of  Hogen,  when  the  Taira  and 
Minamoto  clans  were  engaged  in  conflict,  she  was 
thrown  into  a  well,  and  there  forgotten.  Having 
narrated  these  things,  and  all  the  horrors  she  had  gone 
through  under  the  tyranny  of  the  Poison  Dragon, 
Yayoi  begged  that  Matsumura  would  present  the 
mirror  to  the  Shogun,  the  Lord  Yoshimasa,  who  was 
a  descendant  of  her  former  possessors,  promising  the 
priest  considerable  good  fortune  if  he  did  so.  Before 
Yayoi  departed  she  advised  Matsumura  to  leave  his 
home  immediately,  as  it  was  about  to  be  washed  away 
by  a  great  storm. 

On  the  following  day  Matsumura  left  the  house,  and, 
as  Yayoi  had  prophesied,  almost  immediately  afterwards 
his  late  dwelling  was  swept  away. 

At  length  Matsumura  was  able  to  present  the  mirror 
to  the  Shogun  Yoshimasa,  together  with  a  written 
account  of  its  strange  history.  The  Shogun  was  so 
pleased  with  the  gift  that  he  not  only  gave  Matsumura 
many  personal  presents,  but  he  also  presented  the 
priest  with  a  considerable  sum  of  money  for  the  re- 
building of  his  temple. 

A  Mirror  and  a  Bell 

When  the  priests  of  Mugenyama  required  a  large  bell 
for  their  temple  they  asked  the  women  in  the  vicinity 
194 


A  MIRROR  AND  A  BELL 

to  contribute  their  old  bronze  mirrors  for  the  purpose 
of  providing  the  necessary  metal. 

Hundreds  of  mirrors  were  given  for  this  purpose, 
and  all  were  offered  gladly,  except  the  mirror  presented 
by  a  certain  farmer's  wife.  As  soon  as  she  had  given 
her  mirror  to  the  priests  she  began  to  regret  having 
parted  with  it.  She  remembered  how  old  it  was,  how 
it  had  reflected  her  mother's  laughter  and  tears,  and 
even  her  great-grandmother's.  Whenever  this  farmer's 
wife  went  to  the  temple  she  saw  her  coveted  mirror 
lying  in  a  great  heap  behind  a  railing.  She  recognised 
it  by  the  design  on  the  back  known  as  the  Shv-Chiku- 
Bai)  or  the  three  emblems  of  the  Pine,  Bamboo,  and 
Plum-flower.  She  yearned  to  stretch  forth  her  arm 
between  the  railings  and  to  snatch  back  her  beloved 
mirror.  Her  soul  was  in  the  shining  surface,  and  it 
mingled  with  the  .souls  of  those  who  had  gazed  into  it 
before  she  was  born. 

When  the  Mugenyama  bell  was  in  course  of  construc- 
tion the  bell-founders  discovered  that  one  mirror  would 
not  melt.  The  workers  said  that  it  refused  to  melt 
because  the  owner  had  afterwards  regretted  the  gift, 
which  had  made  the  metal  hard,  as  hard  as  the  woman's 
selfish  heart. 

Soon  every  one  knew  the  identity  of  the  giver  of  the 
mirror  that  would  not  melt,  and,  angry  and  ashamed, 
the  farmer's  wife  drowned  herself,  first  having  written 
the  following  :  "  When  I  am  dead  you  will  be  able  to 
melt  my  mirror,  and  so  cast  the  bell.  My  soul  will 
come  to  him  who  breaks  that  bell  by  ringing  it,  and  I 
will  give  him  great  wealth." 

When  the  woman  died  her  old  mirror  melted  imme- 
diately, and  the  bell  was  cast  and  was  suspended  in  its 
customary  place.  Many  people  having  heard  of  the 
message  written  by  the  deceased  farmer's  wife,  a  great 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

multitude  came  to  the  temple,  and  one  by  one  rang  the 
bell  with  the  utmost  violence  in  the  hope  of  breaking 
it  and  winning  great  wealth.  Day  after  day  the  ringing 
continued,  till  at  last  the  noise  became  so  unbearable 
that  the  priests  rolled  the  bell  into  a  swamp,  where  it 
lay  hidden  from  sight. 

The  Mirror  of  Matsuyama 

In  ancient  days  there  lived  in  a  remote  part  of  Japan 
a  man  and  his  wife,  and  they  were  blessed  with  a  little 
girl,  who  was  the  pet  and  idol  of  her  parents.  On  one 
occasion  the  man  was  called  away  on  business  in  distant 
Kyoto.  Before  he  went  he  told  his  daughter  that  if  she 
were  good  and  dutiful  to  her  mother  he  would  bring  her 
back  a  present  she  would  prize  very  highly.  Then  the 
good  man  took  his  departure,  mother  and  daughter 
watching  him  go. 

At  last  he  returned  to  his  home,  and  after  his  wife 
and  child  had  taken  off  his  large  hat  and  sandals  he  sat 
down  upon  the  white  mats  and  opened  a  bamboo  basket, 
watching  the  eager  gaze  of  his  little  child.  He  took 
out  a  wonderful  doll  and  a  lacquer  box  of  cakes  and  put 
them  into  her  outstretched  hands.  Once  more  he  dived 
into  his  basket,  and  presented  his  wife  with  a  metal 
mirror.  Its  convex  surface  shone  brightly,  while  upon 
its  back  there  was  a  design  of  pine-trees  and  storks. 

The  good  man's  wife  had  never  seen  a  mirror  before, 
and  on  gazing  into  it  she  was  under  the  impression  that 
another  woman  looked  out  upon  her  as  she  gazed  with 
growing  wonder.  Her  husband  explained  the  mystery 
and  bade  her  take  great  care  of  the  mirror. 

Not  long  after  this  happy  home-coming  and  distri- 
bution of  presents  the  woman  became  very  ill.  Just 
before  she  died  she  called  to  her  little  daughter,  and 
said :  "  Dear  child,  when  I  am  dead  take  every  care  of 
196 


THE  MIRROR  OF  MATSUYAMA 

your  father.  You  will  miss  me  when  I  have  left  you. 
But  take  this  mirror,  and  when  you  feel  most  lonely 
look  into  it  and  you  will  always  see  me."  Having  said 
these  words  she  passed  away. 

In  due  time  the  man  married  again,  and  his  wife  was 
not  at  all  kind  to  her  stepdaughter.  But  the  little  one, 
remembering  her  mother's  last  words,  would  retire  to  a 
corner  and  eagerly  look  into  the  mirror,  where  it  seemed 
to  her  that  she  saw  her  dear  mother's  face,  not  drawn 
in  pain  as  she  had  seen  it  on  her  death-bed,  but  young 
and  beautiful. 

One  day  this  child's  stepmother  chanced  to  see  her 
crouching  in  a  corner  over  an  object  she  could  not  quite 
see,  murmuring  to  herself.  This  ignorant  woman,  who 
detested  the  child  and  believed  that  her  stepdaughter 
detested  her  in  return,  fancied  that  this  little  one  was 
performing  some  strange  magical  art — perhaps  making 
an  image  and  sticking  pins  into  it.  Full  of  these 
notions,  the  stepmother  went  to  her  husband  and  told 
him  that  his  wicked  child  was  doing  her  best  to  kill  her 
by  witchcraft. 

When  the  master  of  the  house  had  listened  to  this 
extraordinary  recital  he  went  straight  to  his  daughter's 
room.  He  took  her  by  surprise,  and  immediately  the 
girl  saw  him  she  slipped  the  mirror  into  her  sleeve. 
For  the  first  time  her  doting  father  grew  angry,  and  he 
feared  that  there  was,  after  all,  truth  in  what  his  wife 
had  told  him,  and  he  repeated  her  tale  forthwith. 

When  his  daughter  had  heard  this  unjust  accusation 
she  was  amazed  at  her  father's  words,  and  she  told  him 
that  she  loved  him  far  too  well  ever  to  attempt  or  wish 
to  kill  his  wife,  who  she  knew  was  dear  to  him. 

"What  have  vou  hidden  in  your  sleeve?"  said  her 
father,  only  hair  convinced  and  still  much  puzzled. 

"  The  mirror  you  gave  my  mother,  and  which  she  on 

197 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

her  death-bed  gave  to  me.  Every  time  I  look  into  its 
shining  surface  I  see  the  face  of  my  dear  mother,  young 
and  beautiful.  When  my  heart  aches — and  oh  !  it  has 
ached  so  much  lately — I  take  outthe  mirror,  and  mother's 
face,  with  sweet,  kind  smile,  brings  me  peace,  and  helps 
me  to  bear  hard  words  and  cross  looks." 

Then  the  man  understood  and  loved  his  child  the 
more  for  her  filial  piety.  Even  the  girl's  stepmother, 
when  she  knew  what  had  really  taken  place,  was  ashamed 
and  asked  forgiveness.  And  this  child,  who  believed 
she  had  seen  her  mother's  face  in  the  mirror,  forgave, 
and  trouble  for  ever  departed  from  the  home. 


CHAPTER  XV:KWANNON  AND  BENTEN. 
DAIKOKU,  EBISU,  AND  HOTEI 

"  Adoration  to  the  great  merciful  Kwannon,  who  looketh 
down  above  the  sound  of  prayer." 

An  Inscription. 

Kwannon 

KWANNON,  the  Goddess  of  Mercy,  resembles 
in  many  ways  the  no  less  merciful  and  gentle 
JizO,  for  both  renounced  the  joy  of  Nirvana 
that  they  might  bring  peace  and  happiness  to  others. 
Kwannon,  however,  is  a  much  more  complex  divinity 
than  JizO,  and  though  she  is  most  frequently  portrayed 
as  a  very  beautiful  and  saintly  Japanese  woman,  she 
nevertheless  assumes  a  multitude  of  forms.  We  are 
familiar  with  certain  Indian  gods  and  goddesses  with 
innumerable  hands,  and  Kwannon  is  sometimes  depicted 
as  Senjiu- Kwannon,  or  Kwannon -of- the -Thousand- 
Hands.1  Each  hand  holds  an  object  of  some  kind,  as 
if  to  suggest  that  here  indeed  was  a  goddess  ready  in 
her  love  to  give  and  to  answer  prayer  to  the  uttermost. 
Then  there  is  Jiu-ichi-men-Kwannon,  the  Kwannon- 
of-the-Eleven-Faces.  The  face  of  Kwannon  is  here 
represented  as  "  smiling  with  eternal  youth  and  infinite 
tenderness,"  and  in  her  glowing  presence  the  ideal  of 
the  divine  feminine  is  presented  with  infinite  beauty  of 
conception.  In  the  tiara  of  Jiu-ichi-men-Kwannon  are 
exquisite  faces,  a  radiation,  as  it  were,  of  miniature 
Kwannons.  Sometimes  the  tiara  of  Kwannon  takes 
another  form,  as  in  BatO-Kwannon,  or  Kwannon-with- 
the-Horse's-Head.  The  title  is  a  little  misleading,  for 
such  a  graceful  creature  is  very  far  from  possessing  a 

1  The  title  is  not  accurate,  for  in  reality  this  form  of  Kwannon 
possesses  only  forty  hands.  No  doubt  the  name  is  intended  to 
suggest  munificence  on  the  part  of  this  Goddess. 

I99 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

horse's  head  in  any  of  her  manifestations.  Images  of 
this  particular  Kwannon  depict  a  horse  cut  out  in  the 
tiara.  BatO-Kwannon  is  the  Goddess  to  whom  peasants 
pray  for  the  safety  and  preservation  of  their  horses  and 
cattle,  and  BatO-Kwannon  is  not  only  said  to  protect 
dumb  animals,  particularly  those  who  labour  for  man- 
kind, but  she  extends  her  power  to  protecting  their 
spirits  and  bringing  them  ease  and  a  happier  life  than 
they  experienced  while  on  earth.  In  sharp  contrast  with 
the  Kwannons  we  have  already  described  is  Hito-koto- 
Kwannon,  the  Kwannon  who  will  only  answer  one 
prayer.  The  Gods  of  Love  and  Wisdom  are  frequently 
represented  in  conjunction  with  this  Goddess,  and  the 
"  Twenty-eight  Followers  "  are  personifications  of  certain 
constellations.  But  in  all  the  variations  of  Kwannon  she 
preserves  the  same  virgin  beauty,  and  this  Goddess  of 
Mercy  has  not  inappropriately  been  called  the  Japanese 
Madonna. 

Kwannon  in  Chinese  Myth 

In  China  Kwannon  is  known  as  Kwanjin,  and  is  the 
spiritual  son  of  Amit&bha,  but  this  divinity  always 
appears  as  a  goddess,  as  her  images  in  both  China  and 
Japan  testify.  The  Chinese  claim  that  Kwanjin  is  of 
native  origin,  and  was  originally  the  daughter  of  the 
King  of  the  Chow  dynasty.  She  was  sentenced  to  death 
by  her  father  because  she  refused  to  marry,  but  the 
executioner's  sword  broke  without  inflicting  a  wound. 
We  are  told  that  later  on  her  spirit  went  to  Hell.  There 
was  something  so  radiantly  beautiful  about  the  spirit  of 
Kwanjin  that  her  very  presence  turned  Hell  into  Paradise. 
The  King  of  the  Infernal  Regions,  in  order  to  maintain 
the  gloomy  aspect  of  his  realm,  sent  Kwanjin  back  to 
earth  again,  and  he  caused  her  to  be  miraculously 
transported  on  a  lotus  flower  to  the  Island  of  Pootoo. 

200 


THE  THIRTY-THREE  PLACES 

An  Incarnation  of  Kwannon 

Chojo  Hime,  a  Buddhist  nun,  is  generally  regarded 
as  the  greatest  early  Japanese  artist  of  embroidery,  and, 
according  to  legend,  she  was  an  incarnation  of  Kwannon. 
Chujo  Hime  met  with  much  cruel  treatment  from  her 
stepmother,  until  she  finally  retired  to  the  temple  of 
Toema-dera,  and  there  worked  upon  the  wonderful 
lotus  thread  embroidery  depicting  the  Buddhist  Paradise. 
The  design  is  so  exquisite  that  we  can  easily  understand 
the  Japanese  belief  that  the  Gods  helped  this  great  artist 
in  her  work. 

Kwannon  the  Mother 

There  is  another  remarkable  embroidery,  by  Kano 
Hogai,  depicting  Kwannon  as  the  Divine  Mother, 
pouring  forth  from  a  crystal  phial  the  water  of  creation. 
As  this  holy  water  falls  in  a  series  of  bubbles,  each  bubble 
may  be  seen  to  contain  a  little  babe  with  reverently 
folded  hands.  It  is  altogether  a  wonderful  piece  of 
work,  and,  turning  from  its  pictorial  beauty  to  study  a 
description  of  its  technicalities,  we  find  that  it  took  three 
years  to  execute,  and  that  12,100  different  shades  of 
silk,  and  twelve  of  gold  thread,  were  used. 

The  *' Thirty 'three  Places"  Sacred  to  Kwannon 

There  are  thirty-three  shrines  sacred  to  Kwannon. 
All  are  carefully  numbered,  and  are  to  be  found  in 
the  provinces  near  Kyoto.  The  following  legend  may 
possibly  account  for  the  reverence  bestowed  upon  the 
Saikoku  Sanjtt-san  Sho  (the  "Thirty-three  Places"). 

When  the  great  Buddhist  abbot  of  the  eighth  century, 
Tokudo  Shonin,  died,  he  was  conducted  into  the  presence 
of  Emma-O,  the  Lord  of  the  Dead.  The  castle  in  which 
Emma-O  lived  was  resplendent  with  silver  and  gold, 

201 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

rosy  pearls,  and  all  manner  of  sparkling  j  ewels.  A  light 
emanated  from  Emma-O  too,  and  that  dread  God  had 
a  smile  upon  his  face.  He  received  the  distinguished 
abbot  with  extreme  courtesy,  and  thus  addressed  him  : 

"  Tokudo  Shonin,  there  are  thirty-three  places  where 
Kwannon  reveals  her  special  favour,  for  behold  she  has, 
in  her  boundless  love,  divided  herself  into  many  bodies, 
so  that  he  who  cries  for  aid  shall  not  cry  in  vain.  Alas  ! 
men  continue  to  go  their  evil  ways,  for  they  know  not 
of  these  sacred  shrines.  They  live  their  sordid  lives 
and  pass  into  Hell,  a  vast  and  countless  number.  Oh, 
how  blind  they  are,  how  wayward,  and  how  full  of 
folly  !  If  they  were  to  make  but  a  single  pilgrimage 
to  these  thirty-three  shrines  sacred  to  our  Lady  of 
Mercy,  a  pure  and  wonderful  light  would  shine  from 
their  feet,  feet  made  spiritually  strong  to  crush  down 
all  evil,  to  scatter  the  hundred  and  thirty-six  hells 
into  fragments.  If,  in  spite  of  this  pilgrimage,  one 
should  chance  to  fall  into  Hell,  I  will  take  his  place  and 
receive  into  myself  all  his  suffering,  for  if  this  happened 
my  tale  of  peace  would  be  false,  and  I  should  indeed 
deserve  to  suffer.  Here  is  a  list  of  the  thirty-and-three 
sacred  shrines  of  Kwannon.  Take  it  into  the  troubled 
world  of  men  and  women,  and  make  known  the  ever- 
lasting mercy  of  Kwannon." 

Tokudo,  having  carefully  listened  to  all  Emma-O  had 
told  him,  replied  :  "  You  have  honoured  me  with  such 
a  mission,  but  mortals  are  full  of  doubts  and  fears,  and 
they  would  ask  for  some  sign  that  what  I  tell  them  is 
indeed  true." 

Emma-O  at  once  presented  the  abbot  with  his  jewelled 
seal,  and,  bidding  him  farewell,  sent  him  on  his  way 
accompanied  by  two  attendants. 

While  these  strange  happenings  were  taking  place 
in  the  Underworld  the  disciples  of  Tokudo  perceived 
202 


LIST  OF  THE  THIRTY/THREE  PLACES 

that  though  their  master's  body  had  lain  for  three  days 
and  nights  the  flesh  had  not  grown  cold.  The  devoted 
followers  did  not  bury  the  body,  believing  that  their 
master  was  not  dead.  And  such  was  indeed  the  case, 
for  eventually  Tokudo  awakened  from  his  trance,  and 
in  his  right  hand  he  held  the  jewelled  seal  of  Emma-O. 
Tokudo  lost  no  time  in  narrating  his  strange  adven- 
tures, and  when  he  had  concluded  his  story  he  and  his 
disciples  set  off  on  a  pilgrimage  to  the  thirty-three  holy 
places *  over  which  the  Goddess  of  Mercy  presides. 

List  of  the  "Thirty-three  Places" 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the  "  Thirty- 
three  Places  "  sacred  to  Kwannon  : 

1.  Fudaraku-ji,  at  Nachi,  in  Kisha. 

2.  Kimii-dera,  near  Wakayama,  in  Kisha. 

3.  Kokawa-dera,  in  Kisha. 

4.  Sefuku-ji,  in  Izumi. 

5.  Fujii-dera,  in  Kawachi. 

6.  Tsubosaka-dera,  in  Yamato. 

7.  Oka-dera,  in  Yamato. 

8.  Hase-dera,  in  Yamato. 

9.  Nan-endo,  at  Nara,  in  Yamato. 

10.  Mimuroto-dera,  at  Uji,  in  Yamashiro. 

1 1.  Kami  Daigo-dera,  at  Uji,  in  Yamashiro. 

12.  Iwama-dera,  in  Omi._ 

13.  Ishiyama-dera,jiear  Otsu,  in  Omi. 

14.  Miidera,  near  Otsu,  in  Omi. 

15.  Ima-Gumano,  at  Kyoto,  in  Yamashiro. 

1 6.  Kiyomizu-dera,  at  Kyoto. 

17.  Rokuhara-dera,  at  Kyoto. 

1  "  In  imitation  of  the  original  Thirty-three  Holy  Places,  thirty- 
three  other  places  have  been  established  in  Eastern  Japan,  and  also 
in  the  district  of  Chichibu." — Murray1!  Handbook  for  Japan,  by 
Basil  Hall  Chamberlain  and  W.  B.  Mason. 

203 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

1 8.  Rokkaku-do,  at  Kyoto. 

19.  Kodo,  at  Kyoto. 

20.  Yoshimine-dera,  at  Kyoto. 

21.  Anoji,  in  Tamba. 

22.  Sojiji,  in  Settsu. 

23.  Katsuo-dera,  in  Settsu. 

24.  Nakayama-dera,  near  Kobe,  in  Settsu. 

25.  Shin  Kiyomizu-dera,  in  Harima. 

26.  Hokkeji,  in  Harima. 

27.  Shosha-san,  in  Harima. 

28.  Nareai-ji,  in  Tango. 

29.  Matsunoo-dera,  in  Wakasa. 

30.  Chikubu-shima,  island  in  Lake  Biwa,  in  Omi. 

31.  Chomeiji,  in  Omi. 

32.  Kwannonji,  in  Omi. 

33.  Tanigumi-dera,  near  Tarui,  in  Mino.1 

The  "Hall  of  the  Second  Moon" 

The  Buddhist  temple  of  Ni-gwarsu-do  ("  Hall  of  the 
Second  Moon  ")  contains  a  small  copper  image  of  Kwan- 
non.  It  has  the  miraculous  power  of  being  warm  like 
living  flesh,  and  since  the  image  was  enshrined  special 
services  in  honour  of  Kwannon  take  place  in  February, 
and  on  the  i8th  of  each  month  the  sacred  image  is 
exposed  for  worship. 

Kwannon  and  the  Deer 

An  old  hermit  named  Saion  Zenji  took  up  his  abode 
on  Mount  Nariai  in  order  that  he  might  be  able  to  gaze 
upon  the  beauty  of  Ama-no-Hashidate,  a  narrow  fir-clad 
promontory  dividing  Lake  Iwataki  and  Miyazu  Bay. 
Ama-no-Hashidate  is  still  regarded  as  one  of  the  Sankei, 
or  "Three  Great  Sights,"  of  Japan,  and  still  Mount 

1  Compiled  from  Murray's  Handbook  for  Japan. 
204 


KWANNON  AND  THE  DEER 
Nariai  is  considered  the  best  spot  from  which  to  view 
this  charming  scene. 

On  Mount  Nariai  this  gentle  and  holy  recluse  erected 
a  little  shrine  to  Kwannon  not  far  from  a  solitary  pine- 
tree.  He  spent  his  happy  days  in  looking  upon  Ama-no- 
Hashidate  and  in  chanting  the  Buddhist  Scriptures,  and 
his  charming  disposition  and  holy  ways  were  much 
appreciated  by  the  people  who  came  to  pray  at  the  little 
shrine  he  had  so  lovingly  erected  for  his  own  joy  and  for 
the  joy  of  others. 

The  hermit's  abode,  delightful  enough  in  mild  and 
sunny  weather,  was  dreary  in  the  winter-time,  for  when 
it  snowed  the  good  old  man  was  cut  off  from  human 
intercourse.  On  one  occasion  the  snow  fell  so  heavily 
that  it  was  piled  up  in  some  places  to  a  height  of  twenty 
feet.  Day  after  day  the  severe  weather  continued,  and 
at  last  the  poor  old  hermit  found  that  he  had  no  food  of 
any  kind.  Chancing  to  look  out  one  morning,  he  saw 
that  a  deer  was  lying  dead  in  the  snow.  As  he  gazed 
upon  the  poor  creature,  which  had  been  frozen  to  death, 
he  remembered  that  it  was  unlawful  in  the  sight  of 
Kwannon  to  eat  the  flesh  of  animals  ;  but  on  thinking 
over  the  matter  more  carefully  it  seemed  to  him  that  he 
could  do  more  good  to  his  fellow  creatures  by  partaking 
of  this  deer  than  by  observing  the  strict  letter  of  the 
law  and  allowing  himself  to  starve  in  sight  of  plenty. 

When  Saion  Zenji  had  come  to  this  wise  decision  he 
went  out  and  cut  off  a  piece  of  venison,  cooked  it,  and  ate 
half,  with  many  prayers  of  thanksgiving  for  his  deliver- 
ance. The  rest  of  the  venison  he  left  in  his  cooking-pot. 

Eventually  the  snow  melted,  and  several  folk 
hastily  wended  their  way  from  the  neighbouring  vil- 
lage, and  ascended  Mount  Nariai,  expecting  to  see  that 
their  good  and  much-loved  hermit  had  forever  passed 
away  from  this  world.  As  they  approached  the  shrine, 

205 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

however,  they  were  rejoiced  to  hear  the  old  man 
chanting,  in  a  clear  and  ringing  voice,  the  sacred 
Buddhist  Scriptures. 

The  folk  from  the  village  gathered  about  the  hermit 
while  he  narrated  the  story  ot  his  deliverance.  When, 
out  of  curiosity,  they  chanced  to  peep  into  his  cooking- 
pot,  they  saw,  to  their  utter  amazement,  that  it  contained 
no  venison,  but  a  piece  of  wood  covered  with  gold  foil. 
Still  wondering  what  it  all  meant,  they  looked  upon  the 
image  of  Kwannon  in  the  little  shrine,  and  found  that 
a  piece  had  been  cut  from  her  loins,  and  when  they 
inserted  the  piece  of  wood  the  wound  was  healed.  Then 
it  was  that  the  old  hermit  and  the  folk  gathered  about 
him  realised  that  the  deer  had  been  none  other  than 
Kwannon,  who,  in  her  boundless  love  and  tender  mercy, 
had  made  a  sacrifice  of  her  own  divine  flesh. 

Beaten 

"  The  wild  flowers  fade,  the  maple-leaves, 
Touched  by  frost-fingers,  float  to  earth ; 
But  on  the  bosom  of  the  sea 
The  flowers  to  which  her  waves  give  birth 
Fade  not,  like  blossoms  on  the  land, 
Nor  feel  the  chill  of  Autumn's  hand." 

Tasuhide.     (Trans,  by  CLARA  A.  WALSH.) 

Benten,  the  Goddess  of  the  Sea,  is  also  one  of  the 
Seven  Divinities  of  Luck  ;  and  she  is  romantically 
referred  to  as  the  Goddess  of  Love,  Beauty,  and 
Eloquence.  She  is  represented  in  Japanese  art  as 
riding  on  a  dragon  or  serpent,  which  may  account  for 
the  fact  that  in  certain  localities  snakes  are  regarded  as 
being  sacred.  Images  of  Benten  depict  her  as  having 
eight  arms.  Six  hands  are  extended  above  her  head 
and  hold  a  bow,  arrow,  wheel,  sword,  key,  and  sacred 
jewel,  while  her  two  remaining  hands  are  reverently 
crossed  in  prayer.  She  resembles  Kwannon  in  many 
206 


BENTEN'OF-THExBIRTH^WATER 

ways,  and  images  of  the  two  goddesses  are  frequently 
seen  together,  but  the  shrines  of  Benten  are  usually  to 
be  found  on  islands. 

Benten  and  the  Dragon 

We  have  already  referred  to  Benten  riding  on  a 
dragon,  and  the  following  legend  may  possibly  be  con- 
nected with  this  particular  representation. 

In  a  certain  cave  there  lived  a  formidable  dragon, 
which  devoured  the  children  of  the  village  of  Koshigoe. 
In  the  sixth  century  Benten  was  determined  to  put  a 
stop  to  this  monster's  unseemly  behaviour,  and  having 
caused  a  great  earthquake  she  hovered  in  the  clouds 
over  the  cave  where  the  dread  dragon  had  taken  up 
his  abode.  Benten  then  descended  from  the  clouds, 
entered  the  cavern,  married  the  dragon,  and  was  thus 
able,  through  her  good  influence,  to  put  an  end  to 
the  slaughter  of  little  children.  With  the  coming  of 
Benten  there  arose  from  the  sea  the  famous  Island  of 
Enoshima,1  which  has  remained  to  this  day  sacred  to 
the  Goddess  of  the  Sea. 


Hanagaki  Baisha,  a  young  poet  and  scholar,  attended 
a  great  festival  to  celebrate  the  rebuilding  of  the 
Amadera  temple.  He  wandered  about  the  beautiful 
grounds,  and  eventually  reached  the  place  of  a  spring 
from  which  he  had  often  quenched  his  thirst.  He 
found  that  what  had  originally  been  a  spring  was 
now  a  pond,  and,  moreover,  that  at  one  corner  of  the 
pond  there  was  a  tablet  bearing  the  words  Tanjv-Sui 
("  Birth-  Water  "),  and  also  a  small  but  attractive  temple 
dedicated  to  Benten.  While  Baisha  was  noting  the 

1  See  Glimpses  of  Unfamiliar  Japan,  by  Lafcadio  Hearn,  vol.  i. 
pp.  62-104. 

207 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

changes  in  the  temple  grounds  the  wind  blew  to  his 
feet  a  charmingly  written  love-poem.  He  picked  it  up, 
and  discovered  that  it  had  been  inscribed  by  a  female 
hand,  that  the  characters  were  exquisitely  formed,  and 
that  the  ink  was  fresh. 

Baisha  went  home  and  read  and  re-read  the  poem. 
It  was  not  long  before  he  fell  in  love  with  the  writer, 
and  finally  he  resolved  to  make  her  his  wife.  At  length 
he  went  to  the  temple  of  Benten-of-the-Birth- Water, 
and  cried  :  "  Oh,  Goddess,  come!  to  my  aid,  and  help 
me  to  find  the  woman  who  wrote  these  wind-blown 
verses  !  "  Having  thus  prayed,  he  promised  to  perform 
a  seven  days'  religious  service,  and  to  devote  the  seventh 
night  in  ceaseless  worship  before  the  sacred  shrine  of 
Benten,  in  the  grounds  of  the  Amadera. 

On  the  seventh  night  of  the  vigil  Baisha  heard  a  voice 
calling  for  admittance  at  the  main  gateway  of  the  temple 
grounds.  The  gate  was  opened,  and  an  old  man,  clad 
in  ceremonial  robes  and  with  a  black  cap  upon  his 
head,  advanced  and  silently  knelt  before  the  temple  of 
Benten.  Then  the  outer  door  of  the  temple  mys- 
teriously opened,  and  a  bamboo  curtain  was  partially 
raised,  revealing  a  handsome  boy,  who  thus  addressed  the 
old  man  :  "  We  have  taken  pity  on  a  young  man  who 
desires  a  certain  love-union,  and  have  called  you  to 
inquire  into  the  matter,  and  to  see  if  you  can  bring  the 
young  people  together." 

The  old  man  bowed,  and  then  drew  from  his  sleeve 
a  cord  which  he  wound  round  Baisha's  body,  igniting 
one  end  in  a  temple-lantern,  and  waving  his  hand  the 
while,  as  if  beckoning  some  spirit  to  appear  out  of  the 
dark  night.  In  a  moment  a  young  girl  entered  the 
temple  grounds,  and,  with  her  fan  half  concealing  her 
pretty  face,  she  knelt  beside  Baisha. 

Then  the  beautiful  boy  thus  addressed  Baisha  :  "  We 
208 


BENTEN'OF'THE-BIRTH-  WATER 

have  heard  your  prayer,  and  we  have  known  that 
recently  you  have  suffered  much.  The  woman  you 
love  is  now  beside  you."  And  having  uttered  these 
words  the  divine  youth  departed,  and  the  old  man  left 
the  temple  grounds. 

When  Baisha  had  given  thanks  to  Benten-of-the- 
Birth-Water  he  proceeded  homeward.  On  reaching 
the  street  outside  the  temple  grounds  he  saw  a  young 
girl,  and  at  once  recognised  her  as  the  woman  he  loved. 
Baisha  spoke  to  her,  and  when  she  replied  the  gentle- 
ness and  sweetness  of  her  voice  filled  the  youth  with 
joy.  Together  they  walked  through  the  silent  streets 
until  at  last  they  came  to  the  house  where  Baisha  lived. 
There  was  a  moment's  pause,  and  then  the  maiden 
said  :  "  Benten  has  made  me  your  wife,"  and  the  lovers 
entered  the  house  together. 

The  marriage  was  an  extremely  fortunate  one,  and 
the  happy  Baisha  discovered  that  his  wife,  apart  from  her 
excellent  domestic  qualities,  was  accomplished  in  the  art 
of  arranging  flowers  and  in  the  art  of  embroidery,  and 
that  her  delicate  writing  was  not  less  pleasing  than 
her  charming  pictures.  Baisha  knew  nothing  about  her 
family,  but  as  she  had  been  presented  to  him  by  the 
Goddess  Benten  he  considered  that  it  was  unnecessary  to 
question  her  in  the  matter.  There  was  only  one  thing 
that  puzzled  the  loving  Baisha,  and  that  was  that  the 
neighbours  seemed  to  be  totally  unaware  of  his  wife's 
presence. 

One  day,  while  Baisha  was  walking  in  a  remote 
quarter  of  Kyoto,  he  saw  a  servant  beckoning  to  him 
from  the  gateway  of  a  private  house.  The  man  came 
forward,  bowed  respectfully,  and  said  :  "Will  you  deign 
to  enter  this  house  ?  My  master  is  anxious  to  have 
the  honour  of  speaking  to  you."  Baisha,  who  knew 
nothing  of  the  servant  or  his  master,  was  not  a  little 

o  209 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

surprised  by  this  strange  greeting,  but  he  allowed  him- 
self to  be  conducted  to  the  guest-room,  and  thus  his 
host  addressed  him  : 

"I  most  humbly  apologise  for  the  very  informal 
manner  of  my  invitation,  but  I  believe  that  I  have 
acted  in  compliance  with  a  message  I  received  from  the 
Goddess  Benten.  I  have  a  daughter,  and,  as  I  am 
anxious  to  find  a  good  husband  for  her,  I  sent  her 
written  poems  to  all  the  temples -of  Benten  in  Kyoto. 
In  a  dream  the  Goddess  came  to  i^  e,  and  told  me  that 
she  had  secured  an  excellent  husbi  i  for  my  daughter, 
and  that  he  would  visit  me  during  e  coming  winter. 
I  was  not  inclined  to  attach  very  :h  importance  to 
this  dream ;  but  last  night  Benten  again  revealed  her- 
self to  me  in  a  vision,  and  said  that  to-morrow  the 
husband  she  had  chosen  for  my  daughter  would  call 
upon  me,  and  that  I  could  then  arrange  the  marriage. 
The  Goddess  described  the  appearance  of  the  young 
man  so  minutely  that  I  am  assured  that  you  are  my 
daughter's  future  husband." 

These  strange  words  filled  Baishu  with  sorrow,  and 
when  his  courteous  host  proposed  to  present  him 
to  the  lady  he  was  unable  to  summon  up  sufficient 
courage  to  tell  his  would-be  father-in-law  that  he  already 
had  a  wife.  Baishu  followed  his  host  into  another 
apartment,  and  to  his  amazement  and  joy  he  discovered 
that  the  daughter  of  the  house  was  none  other  than 
his  own  wife  !  And  yet  there  was  a  subtle  difference, 
for  the  woman  who  now  smiled  upon  him  was  the  body 
of  his  wife,  and  she  who  had  appeared  before  the  temple 
of  Benten-of-the-Birth- Water  was  her  soul.  We  are 
told  that  Benten  performed  this  miracle  for  the  sake  of 
her  worshippers,  and  thus  it  came  to  pass  that  Baisha 
had  a  strange  dual  marriage  with  the  woman  he 
loved. 

210 


DAIKOKU'S  RAT 

Daikoku  j  f 

Daikoku,  the  God  of  Wc.iith,  Ebisu,  his  son,  the 
God  of  Labour,  and  Hotei,  the  God  of  Laughter  and 
Contentment,  belong  to  that  cycle  of  deities  known  as 
the  Gods  of  Luck.  Daikoku  is  represented  with  a 
Magic  Mallet,  which  bears  the  sign  of  the  Jewel, 
embodying  the  male  and  female  spirit,  and  signifies  a 
creative  deity.  A  stroke  of  his  Mallet  confers  wealth, 
and  his  second  attrit^  te  is  the  Rat.  Daikoku  is,  as  we 
should  suppose,  anjrt£tremely  popular  deity,  and  he  is 
frequently  portray, r as  a  prosperous  Chinese  gentle- 
man, richly  appar^^l,  and  is  usually  shown  standing 
on  bales  of  rice,  wirh  a  bag  of  precious  things  on  his 
shoulder.  This  genial  and  beneficent  God  is  also 
depicted  as  seated  on  bales  of  rice,  or  showing  his 
treasures  to  some  eager  and  expectant  child,  or  holding 
the  Red  Sun  against  his  breast  with  one  hand  and 
grasping  the  Magic  Mallet  with  the  other. 

Daikoku's  Rat 

Daikoku's  attribute,  a  Rat,  has  an  emblematic  and 
moral  meaning  in  connection  with  the  wealth  hidden  in 
the  God's  bag.  The  Rat  is  frequently  portrayed  either 
in  the  bale  of  rice  with  its  head  peeping  out,  or  in  it, 
or  playing  with  the  Mallet,  and  sometimes  a  large 
number  of  rats  are  shown. 

According  to  a  certain  old  legend,  the  Buddhist  Gods 
grew  jealous  of  Daikoku.  They  consulted  together, 
and  finally  decided  that  they  would  get  rid  of  the  too 
popular  Daikoku,  to  whom  the  Japanese  offered  prayers 
and  incense.  Emma-O,  the  Lord  of  the  Dead,  promised 
to  send  his  most  cunning  and  clever  oniy  Shiro,  who,  he 
said,  would  have  no  difficulty  in  conquering  the  God 
of  Wealth.  Shiro,  guided  by  a  sparrow,  went  to 


211 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Daikoku's  castle,  but  though  he  hunted  high  and  low 
he  could  not  find  its  owner.  Finally  Shiro  discovered 
a  large  storehouse,  in  which  he  saw  the  God  of  Wealth 
seated.  Daikoku  called  his  Rat  and  bade  him  find  out 
who  it  was  who  dared  to  disturb  him.  When  the  Rat 
saw  Shiro  he  ran  into  the  garden  and  brought  back  a 
branch  of  holly,  with  which  he  drove  the  oni  away,  and 
Daikoku  remains  to  this  day  one  of  the  most  popular 
of  the  Japanese  Gods.  This  incident  is  said  to  be  the 
origin  of  the  New  Year's  Eve  charm,  consisting  of  a 
holly  leaf  and  a  skewer,  or  a  sprig  of  holly  fixed  in  the 
lintel  of  the  door  of  a  house  to  prevent  the  return  of 
the  oni. 

The  Six  Daikoku 

1.  Makura  Daikoku,  ordinary  form  with  Mallet  on 
lotus  leaf. 

2.  Ojikara  Daikoku,  with  sword  and  vajra. 

3.  Bika  Daikoku,  a  priest,  with  Mallet  in  right  hand, 
vajra-hihed  sword  in  left. 

4.  Yasha  Daikoku,  with  Wheel  of  the  Law  in  his 
right  hand. 

5.  Shinda  Daikoku,  a  boy  seated  with  a  crystal  in 
his  left  hand. 

6.  Mahakara    Daikoku,  seated    female,  with   small 
bale  of  rice  on  her  head. 

Ebisu 

Ebisu  and  his  father  Daikoku  are  usually  pictured 
together  :  the  God  of  Wealth  seated  upon  bales  of  rice, 
pressing  the  Red  Sun  against  his  breast  with  one  hand, 
and  with  the  other  holding  the  wealth-giving  Mallet, 
while  Ebisu  is  depicted  with  a  fishing-rod  and  a  great 
tai  fish  under  his  arm. 

212 


HOTEI 

Hotei 

Hotei,  the  God  of  Laughter  and  Contentment,  is  one 
of  the  most  whimsical  of  the  Japanese  Gods.  He  is 
represented  as  extremely  fat,  carrying  on  his  back  a 
linen  bag  (ho-tei\  from  which  he  derives  his  name.  In 
this  bag  he  stows  the  Precious  Things,  but  when  in  a 
particularly  playful  mood  he  uses  it  as  a  receptacle  for 
merry  and  inquisitive  children.  Sometimes  Hotei  is 
represented  in  a  broken-down  and  extremely  shabby 
carriage  drawn  by  boys,  and  is  then  known  as  the 
Waggon  Priest.  Again  he  is  portrayed  as  carrying  in 
one  hand  a  Chinese  fan  and  in  the  other  his  bag,  or 
balancing  at  either  end  of  a  pole  the  bag  of  Precious 
Things  and  a  boy. 


CHAPTER  XVI :  DOLLS  AND 
BUTTERFLIES 

"  I  asked  a  charming  Japanese  girl  :  *  How  can  a  doll 
live  ? '  *  Why,'  she  answered,  l  if  you  love  it  enough,  it  will 
live!'" 

LAFCADIO  HEARN. 

The  English  and  Japanese  Doll 

OUR  English  dolls,  with  their  flaxen  hair,  blue 
eyes,  and  simpering  faces,  are  certainly  not  a 
credit  to  the  toy-maker's  art  if  they  are  to  be 
regarded  as  bearing  even  a  remote  likeness  to  living 
children.  Put  in  a  horizonal  position,  something  will 
click  in  their  little  heads  and  their  blue  eyes  will  close, 
or  more  correctly  roll  backward  ;  a  pinch  will  make 
them  emit  a  tolerable  imitation  of  the  words  "Papa  !  " 
"  Mamma  !  "  and  yet  in  spite  of  these  mechanical  devices 
they  have  nothing  more  to  their  credit  than  a  child's 
short-lived  love.  They  are  speedily  broken,  or  liable 
at  any  moment  to  be  decapitated  by  a  little  brother  who 
has  learnt  too  well  the  story  of  Lady  Jane  Grey ! 

In  Japan,  however,  the  doll  is  not  merely  a  play- 
thing by  which  little  children  may  become  make-believe 
mothers,  but  in  earlier  days  it  was  regarded  as  a  means 
to  make  a  wife  a  mother.  Lafcadio  Hearn  writes : 
"  And  if  you  see  such  a  doll,  though  held  quite  close  to 
you,  being  made  by  a  Japanese  mother  to  reach  out  its 
hands,  to  move  its  little  bare  feet,  and  to  turn  its  head, 
you  would  be  almost  afraid  to  venture  a  heavy  wager 
that  it  was  only  a  doll."  It  is  this  startling  likeness 
that  is  perhaps  accountable  for  the  quaint  and  beautiful 
love  connected  with  Japanese  dolls. 


214 


LIVE  DOLLS 

Live  Dolls 

At  one  time  certain  dolls  were  actually  said  to  become 
alive,  to  take  to  their  small  bodies  a  human  soul,  and 
the  belief  is  merely  an  echo  of  the  old  idea  that  much 
love  will  quicken  to  life  the  image  of  a  living  thing. 
In  Old  Japan  the  doll  was  handed  down  from  one 
generation  to  another,  and  sometimes  remained  in  an 
excellent  condition  for  over  a  hundred  years.  A 
hundred  years  spent  in  little  children's  arms,  served 
with  food,  put  to  bed  regularly  every  night,  and  the 
object  of  constant  endearments,  will  no  doubt  work 
wonders  in  the  poetic  imagination  of  a  happy  and  child- 
like people. 

The  tiny  doll  known  as  O-Hina-San  does  not  come 
within  the  region  of  our  present  study  ;  it  was  simply  a 
toy  and  nothing  more.  It  is  the  life-size  dolls  we  must 
deal  with,  those  dolls  so  cunningly  representing  little 
children  two  or  three  years  old.  The  girl  doll  of  this 
class  is  known  as  O-Toku-San  and  the  boy  doll  as 
TokutarO-San.  It  was  believed  that  if  these  dolls  were 
ill-treated  or  neglected  in  any  way  they  would  weep, 
become  angry,  and  bring  misfortune  upon  their  pos- 
sessors. They  had  in  addition  many  other  supernatural 
powers. 

In  a  certain  old  family  there  was  a  TokutarO-San 
which  received  a  reverence  almost  equal  to  that  shown 
to  Kishibojin,  the  Goddess  to  whom  Japanese  wives 
pray  for  offspring.  This  TokutarO-San  was  borrowed 
by  childless  couples.  They  gave  it  new  clothes  and 
tended  it  with  loving  care,  assured  that  such  a  doll  which 
had  a  soul  would  make  them  happy  by  answering  their 
prayers  for  a  child.  TokutarO-San,  according  to  legend, 
was  very  much  alive,  for  when  the  house  caught  fire  it 
speedily  ran  into  the  garden  for  safety  ! 

215 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

A  Doll's  Last  Resting-place 

What  happens  to  a  Japanese  doll  when  after  a  very 
long  and  happy  life  it  eventually  gets  broken  ?  Though 
finally  regarded  as  dead,  its  remains  are  treated  with  the 
utmost  respect.  It  is  not  thrown  away  with  rubbish,  or 
burned,  or  even  reverently  laid  upon  running  water,  as 
is  often  the  case  with  dead  Japanese  flowers.  It  is  not 
buried,  but  dedicated  to  Kqjin,  frequently  represented 
as  a  deity  with  many  arms.  Kojin  is  supposed  to  reside 
in  the  enoki  tree,  and  in  front  of  this  tree  there  is  a 
small  shrine  and  torii.  Here,  then,  the  remains  of  a 
very  old  Japanese  doll  are  reverently  laid.  Its  little 
face  may  be  scratched,  its  silk  dress  torn  and  faded  and 
its  arms  and  legs  broken,  but  it  once  had  a  soul,  once 
had  the  mysterious  desire  to  give  maternity  to  those 
who  longed  for  it. 

On  March  3  the  Girls'  Festival  takes  place.  It  is 
known  as  Jdmi  no  Sekkuy  or  Hina  Matsuri,  the  Feast  or 
Dolls. 

Butterflies 

"  Where  the  soft  drifts  lie 
Of  fallen  blossoms,  dying, 
Did  one  flutter  now, 
From  earth  to  its  brown  bough  ? 
Ah,  no  !  'twas  a  butterfly, 
Like  fragile  blossom  flying  !  " 

Arakida  Mortitake. 
(Trans,  by  CLARA  A.  WALSH.) 

It  is  in  China  rather  than  in  Japan  that  the  butterfly 
is  connected  with  legend  and  folk-lore.  The  Chinese 
scholar  Rosan  is  said  to  have  received  visits  from  two 
spirit  maidens  who  regaled  him  with  ghostly  stories 
about  these  bright-winged  insects. 

It  is  more  than  probable  that  the  legends  concerning 
216 


BUTTERFLIES  OF  GOOD  AND  EVIL  OMEN 

butterflies  in  Japan  have  been  borrowed  from  China. 
Japanese  poets  and  artists  were  fond  of  choosing  for 
their  professional  appellation  such  names  as  "  Butterfly- 
Dream,"  "  Solitary  Butterfly,"  «  Butterfly-Help,"  and 
so  on.  Though  probably  of  Chinese  origin,  such  ideas 
naturally  appealed  to  the  aesthetic  taste  of  the  Japanese 
people,  and  no  doubt  they  played  in  early  days  the 
romantic  game  of  butterflies.  The  Emperor  GensO 
used  to  make  butterflies  choose  his  loves  for  him.  At 
a  wine-party  in  his  garden  fair  ladies  would  set  caged 
butterflies  free.  These  bright-coloured  insects  would 
fly  and  settle  upon  the  fairest  damsels,  and  those  maidens 
immediately  received  royal  favours. 

Butterflies  of  Good  and  Eril  Omen 

In  Japan  the  butterfly  was  at  one  time  considered  to 
be  the  soul  of  a  living  man  or  woman.  If  it  entered  a 
guest-room  and  pitched  behind  the  bamboo  screen  it 
was  a  sure  sign  that  the  person  whom  it  represented 
would  shortly  appear  in  the  house.  The  presence  of  a 
butterfly  in  the  house  was  regarded  as  a  good  omen, 
though  of  course  everything  depended  on  the  indi- 
vidual typified  by  the  butterfly. 

The  butterfly  was  not  always  the  harbinger  of  good. 
When  Taira-no-Masakado  was  secretly  preparing  for  a 
revolt  Kyoto  was  the  scene  of  a  swarm  of  butterflies, 
and  the  people  who  saw  them  were  much  frightened. 
Lafcadio  Hearn  suggests  that  these  butterflies  may  have 
been  the  spirits  of  those  fated  to  fall  in  battle,  the 
spirits  of  the  living  who  were  stirred  by  a  premonition 
of  the  near  approach  of  death.  Butterflies  may  also  be 
the  souls  of  the  dead,  and  they  often  appear  in  this 
form  in  order  to  announce  their  final  leave-taking  from 
the  body. 

217 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

"The  Flying  Hairpin  of  Kocho  " 

The  Japanese  drama  contains  reference  to  the  ghostly 
significance  of  butterflies.  In  the  play  known  as  The 
Flying  Hairpin  of  K^ochv,  the  heroine,  Kocho,  kills  her- 
self on  account  of  false  accusations  and  cruel  treat- 
ment. Her  lover  seeks  to  discover  who  has  been  the 
cause  of  her  untimely  death.  Eventually  Kocho's  hair- 
pin turns  into  a  butterfly  and  hovers  over  the  hiding- 
place  of  the  villain  who  has  caused  all  the  trouble. 

The  White  Butterfly 

There  is  a  quaint  and  touching  Japanese  legend 
connected  with  the  butterfly.  An  old  man  named 
Takahama  lived  in  a  little  house  behind  the  cemetery 
of  the  temple  of  Sozanji.  He  was  extremely  amiable 
and  generally  liked  by  his  neighbours,  though  most  of 
them  considered  him  to  be  a  little  mad.  His  madness, 
it  would  appear,  entirely  rested  upon  the  fact  that  he 
had  never  married  or  evinced  desire  for  intimate  com- 
panionship with  women. 

One  summer  day  he  became  very  ill,  so  ill,  in  fact, 
that  he  sent  for  his  sister-in-law  and  her  son.  They 
both  came  and  did  all  they  could  to  bring  comfort 
during  his  last  hours.  While  they  watched  Takahama 
fell  asleep  ;  but  he  had  no  sooner  done  so  than  a 
large  white  butterfly  flew  into  the  room,  and  rested  on 
the  old  man's  pillow.  The  young  man  tried  to  drive 
it  away  with  a  fan  ;  but  it  came  back  three  times,  as  if 
loth  to  leave  the  sufferer. 

At  last  Takahama's  nephew  chased  it  out  into  the 
garden,  through  the  gate,  and  into  the  cemetery  beyond, 
where  it  lingered  over  a  woman's  tomb,  and  then 
mysteriously  disappeared.  On  examining  the  tomb  the 
young  man  found  the  name  "Akiko"  written  upon  it, 
218 


THE  WHITE  BUTTERFLY 

together  with  a  description  narrating  how  Akiko  died 
when  she  was  eighteen.  Though  the  tomb  was  covered 
with  moss  and  must  have  been  erected  fifty  years 
previously,  the  boy  saw  that  it  was  surrounded  with 
flowers,  and  that  the  little  water-tank  had  been  recently 
filled.  J 

When  the  young  man  returned  to  the  house  he  found 
that  Takahama  had  passed  away,  and  he  returned  to  his 
mother  and  told  her  what  he  had  seen  in  the  cemetery. 

"Akiko?"  murmured  his  mother.  "When  your 
uncle  was  young  he  was  betrothed  to  Akiko.  She  died 
of  consumption  shortly  before  her  wedding-day.  When 
Akiko  left  this  world  your  uncle  resolved  never  to  marry 
and  to  live  ever  near  her  grave.  For  all  these  years  he 
has  remained  faithful  to  his  vow,  and  kept  in  his  heart 
all  the  sweet  memories  of  his  one  and  only  love.  Every 
day  Takahama  went  to  the  cemetery,  whether  the  air 
was  fragrant  with  summer  breeze  or  thick  with  falling 
snow.  Every  day  he  went  to  her  grave  and  prayed  for 
her  happiness,  swept  the  tomb  and  set  flowers  there. 
When  Takahama  was  dying,  and  he  could  no  longer 
perform  his  loving  task,  Akiko  came  for  him.  That 
white  butterfly  was  her  sweet  and  loving  soul." 

Just  before  Takahama  passed  away  into  the  Land  of 
the  Yellow  Spring  he  may  have  murmured  words  like 
those  of  Yone  Noguchi : 

"  Where  the  flowers  sleep, 
Thank  God  !   I  shall  sleep  to-night. 
Oh,  come,  butterfly  !  "  A 

1  Legends  concerning  other  insects  will  be  found  in  Chapter  XXIII. 


219 


CHAPTER  XVII :  FESTIVALS 

The  New  Year 

THE  San-ga-nichi,  or  "  three  days  "  of  the  New 
Year,  is  one  of  the  most  important  of  the 
Japanese  festivals,  for  the  Japanese  ^make  far 
more  of  the  New  Year  than  we  do  in  this  country. 
They  regard  the  first  three  days  of  the  year  as  a  fitting 
occasion  when  it  is  most  important  to  insure  good  luck 
and  happiness  for  the  days  that  follow,  and  in  order  to 
bring  this  about  many  quaint  and  ancient  observances 
take  place.  Before  the  houses  are  decorated  a  thorough 
winter  cleaning  is  carried  out.  "In  ancient  times," 
writes  Mrs.  C.  M.  Salwey,  "  from  the  Court  of  the 
Emperor  to  the  hut  of  the  peasant,  this  attention  was 
observed  to  such  an  extent  that  the  Shogun's  Court 
provided  overseers,  who  visited  with  ornamented  dust- 
ing poles,  to  overhaul  the  labour  of  the  servants,  passing 
their  official  brooms  over  ledges  and  crevices,  and  in 
so  doing  flourishing  in  a  certain  manner  their  mystic 
wands  to  demonstrate  the  Chinese  ideograph  which 
signified  water."  Not  only  is  the  house  thoroughly 
cleaned  and  everything  put  in  order,  but  evil  spirits 
are  got  rid  of  by  throwing  out  peas  and  beans  from  the 
open  shoji,  or  paper  slides. 

On  the  festival  of  the  New  Year  the  houses  and  gate- 
posts are  adorned  with  straw  ropes,  and  these  are  often 
made  to  represent  such  lucky  Chinese  numbers  as  three, 
five,  and  seven.  The  food  chiefly  eaten  on  this  occasion 
comprises  lobsters  (their  bent  and  ancient  appearance 
suggesting  long  life),  oranges,  and  certain  varieties  of 
edible  seaweeds.  In  addition  there  are  mirror  cakes, 
associated  with  the  Sun  Goddess,  and  these  cakes,  com- 
posed of  rice,  are  eaten  with  the  oranges  and  lobster, 
and  served  on  pure  white  trays.  One  other  important 

220 


THE  BOYS'  FESTIVAL 

decoration  must  not  be  overlooked,  and  that  is  the 
branches  of  the  pine-tree.  These  branches  symbolise 
long  life,  and  for  some  unknown  reason  they  are  burnt 
when  the  festival  is  over. 

One  of  the  most  picturesque  customs  associated  with 
this  festival,  and  one  particularly  appealing  to  children, 
is  the  Treasure  Ship  with  the  Seven  Gods  of  Good  Luck 
on  board,  to  which  we  have  referred  elsewhere.1 

The  Bcxys*  Festival 

The  Tango  no  Sekku,  or  Boys'  Festival,  takes  place  on 
May  5,  and  is  intended  to  inspire  the  youth  of  Japan 
with  warlike  qualities.  It  is  the  day  when  flags  are  to 
be  seen  in  every  direction,  when  the  roofs  of  the  houses 
are  decorated  with  the  leaves  of  iris,  so  that  Nature's 
flag  and  the  flag  made  by  human  hands  are  both  con- 
spicuous on  this  joyous  festival,  which  is  popularly 
known  as  the  Feast  of  Flags.  Boys  are  presented  with 
small  figures  representing  certain  great  heroes  of  the 
past,  while  ancient  swords,  bows,  arrows,  spears,  &c.,  are 
handed  down  from  one  generation  of  children  to  another. 

Perhaps  the  dominant  feature  of  this  festival  is  the 
paper  flag  shaped  like  a  carp.  It  is  hollow,  and  when 
inflated  with  wind  has  the  appearance  of  vigorously 
flying  through  the  air.  The  carp  symbolises  something 
more  than  the  crude  spirit  of  warfare,  for  it  typifies 
tenacity  of  purpose  and  indomitable  courage.  As  the 
carp  swims  against  the  stream,  so  is  the  Japanese  youth 
expected  to  fight  against  all  the  fierce  currents  of  adver- 
sity. This  idea  is  probably  derived  from  the  fascinating 
Chinese  legend  of  the  Dragon  Carp  which,  after  a  long 
struggle,  succeeded  in  swimming  past  the  Dragon  Gate 
rapids,  lived  a  thousand  years,  and  finally  rose  into  the 
sky. 

1  Chapter  VII.  :  "Legend  in  Japanese  Art." 

221 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

The  Festival  of  the  Dead 

The  Festival  of  the  Dead,  or  Bommatsuri,  deserves 
mention  here  because  it  contains  much  that  is  legendary. 
The  Japanese  peasant's  conception  of  a  future  life  is  not 
a  very  delightful  one.  At  death  the  body  is  washed 
and  shaven  and  then  arrayed  in  a  pure  white  garment — 
indeed,  in  the  garment  of  a  pilgrim.  Round  the  neck 
is  hung  a  wallet  containing  three  or  six  rin,  according 
to  the  custom  of  the  place  in  which  the  death  occurs, 
and  these  rin  are  buried  with  the  deceased.  The  idea  of 
burying  coin  with  the  dead  is  to  be  found  in  the  belief 
that  all  who  die,  children  alone  excepted,  must  journey 
to  the  Sanzu-no-Kawa,  or  "The  River  of  the  Three 
Roads."  On  the  bank  of  this  dismal  river  Sodzu-Baba, 
the  Old  Woman  of  the  Three  Roads,  awaits  the  coming 
of  souls,  together  with  her  husband,  Ten  Datsu-Ba.  If 
three  rin  are  not  paid  to  the  Old  Woman  she  takes 
away  the  white  garments  of  the  dead  and,  regardless 
of  entreaties,  hangs  them  octrees.  Then  there  is  the 
no  less  formidable  Emma-O,  the  Lord  of  the  Dead  ; 
and  when  we  add  to  these  dread  figures  some  of  the 
terrors  of  the  Buddhist  hells  it  is  not  surprising  that 
the  gentle  and  poetical  Japanese  should  have  founded  a 
festival  that  will  afford  a  pleasant,  if  all  too  brief,  respite 
from  the  horrors  of  Hades. 

The  festival  takes  place  from  July  13  to  15.  At 
such  a  time  most  of  the  houses  are  mere  skeletons, 
being  open  to  the  summer  breeze  on  all  sides. 
People  saunter  about  in  the  lightest  of  garments. 
Butterflies  and  dragon-flies  disport  in  countless  numbers, 
flying  over  a  cool  stretch  of  lotus  or  settling  on  the 
purple  petal  of  an  iris.  Fuji  rears  her  great  head  into 
the  clear  blue  sky,  bearing  like  a  white  scarf  a  patch  of 
fast-fading  snow. 
222 


THE  FESTIVAL  OF  THE  DEAD 

When  the  morning  of  the  I3th  arrives  new  mats  ot 
rice  straw  are  spread  upon  all  Buddhist  altars  and  on  the 
little  household  shrines.  Every  Japanese  home  on  that 
day  is  provided  with  a  quaint,  minute  meal  in  readiness 
for  the  great  company  of  ghosts. 

At  sunset  the  streets  are  bright  with  the  flames  of 
torches,  and  the  entrances  of  houses  gay  with  brightly 
coloured  lanterns.  Those  to  whom  this  festival  applies 
in  a  particular  sense  and  not  in  a  general  one — that  is  to 
say,  those  who  have  recently  lost  some  dear  one — go  out 
on  this  night  to  the  cemeteries,  and  there  pray,  make 
offerings,  burn  incense,  and  pour  out  water.  Lanterns 
are  lit  and  bamboo  vases  filled  with  flowers. 

On  the  evening  of  the  1 5th  the  ghosts  of  the  Circle 
of  Penance  or  Gakido  are  fed,  and  in  addition  those 
ghosts  who  have  no  friends  among  the  living  to  care  for 
them.  There  is  a  legend  bearing  upon  this  particular 
phase  of  the  Festival  of  the  Dead.  Dai-Mokenren,  a 
great  disciple  of  Buddha,  was  once  permitted  to  see  the 
soul  of  his  mother  in  the  Gakido.  He  grieved  so 
much  on  account  of  intense  suffering  that  he  gave  her  a 
bowl  containing  choice  food.  Every  time  she  tried  to 
eat  the  food  would  suddenly  turn  into  fire,  and  finally 
to  ashes.  Then  Mokenren  asked  Buddha  to  tell  him 
what  he  could  do  to  ease  his  mother's  suffering.  He 
was  told  to  feed  the  ghosts  of  the  great  priests  of  all 
countries  "on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  seventh  month." 
When  this  had  been  done  Mokenren  returned,  to  find 
his  mother  dancing  for  joy.  In  this  happy  dance  after 
much  tribulation  we  trace  the  origin  of  the  Bon-odoriy 
which  takes  place  on  the  third  night  of  the  festival. 

When  the  evening  of  the  third  day  arrives  prepara- 
tions are  made  for  the  departure  of  the  ghosts. 
Thousands  of  little  boats  are  packed  with  food  and 
loving  messages  of  farewell.  Into  these  boats  step  the 

223 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

departing  ghosts.  Loving  hands  set  these  frail  craft  upon 
river,  lake,  or  sea.  A  small  lantern  glows  at  the  prow, 
while  pale  blue  clouds  of  incense  float  up  from  the  stern. 
Hearn  writes :  "  Down  all  the  creeks  and  rivers  and 
canals  the  phantom  fleets  go  glimmering  to  the  sea  ; 
and  all  the  sea  sparkles  to  the  horizon  with  the  lights 
of  the  dead,  and  the  sea  wind  is  fragrant  with  incense." 
There  is  a  pathetic  charm  about  this  festival.  It  is 
by  no  means  unique,  for  it  corresponds  to  the  Indian 
Sraddha ;  but  in  Japan  it  is  touched  with  a  more 
delicate  and  haunting  beauty.  No  one  has  been  able 
to  solve  conclusively  the  origin  of  the  Torii,  that 
wonderful  gateway  that  leads  nowhere.  What  a 
charming  entrance  or  exit  for  a  company  of  wandering 
souls  !  What  a  place  for  ghosts  to  play  and  dream 
awhile  is  a  Japanese  garden,  with  its  lake  and  moon- 
shaped  bridge,  its  stone  lantern,  its  paths  of  silver  sand  ! 
And  what  a  street  for  ghosts  to  wander  in  is  the  Street 
Everlasting  that  is  so  near  to  the  Street  of  Aged  Men  ! 
Thus  Yone  Noguchi  sums  up  the  magic  of  a  Japanese 
night,  one  of  those  three  nights  when  souls  come  in 
touch  with  old  earthly  memories  : 

"  The  scented  purple  breezes  of  the  Japanese  night ! 
The  old  moon  like  a  fairy  ship  of  gold 
Softly  through  the  dream  sea  begins  to  rock  on : 
(I  hear  the  unheard  song  of  Beauty  in  the  moon  ship, 
I  hear  even  the  whisper  of  her  golden  dress.) 
The  hundred  lanterns  burning  in  love  and  prayer, 
Float  on  the  streets  like  haunting  memories. 
The  silvery  music  of  wooden  clogs  of  the  Japanese  girls ! 
Are  they  not  little  ghosts  out  of  the  bosom  of  ancient  age  ? 
Are  they  returning  to  fulfil  their  thousand  fancies  forgotten  ? 
O  the  fancy  world  of  the  Japanese  night 
Born  out  of  the  old  love  and  unfulfilled  desires  ! 
The  crying  love-song  of  the  Japanese  night, 
The  samisen  music  of  hungry  passion  and  tears  ! 
O  the  long  wail  of  heart  through  the  darkness  and  love  !  " 
224 


THE  TORII 

The  Laughing  Festival  of  Wasa 

Numerous  other  Japanese  festivities  take  place 
during  the  year,  and  two,  the  Festival  of  Dolls  and 
the  Festival  of  Tanabata,  the  Weaving  Maiden,  have 
been  referred  to  elsewhere.  Perhaps  in  some  way 
the  Laughing  Festival  of  Wasa  is  the  most  quaint 
of  all  the  Japanese  festivities.  During  the  month  of 
October  a  number  of  old  men  form  a  procession 
carrying  two  boxes  full  of  oranges  and  persimmons 
spitted  on  sticks.  These  old  men  are  followed  by 
children  with  similar  fruit  on  bamboo  rods.  Just  as 
the  leader  reaches  the  shrine  he  turns  round  and  makes 
a  most  ludicrous  grimace,  which  is  immediately  followed 
by  a  merry  peal  of  laughter,  and  this  irresistible  merri- 
ment has  its  origin  in  the  following  legend. 

In  the  month  of  October  the  Gods  used  to  assemble 
in  a  great  temple  at  Izumo,  and  they  met  for  the 
purpose  of  arranging  the  love-affairs  of  the  people. 
When  the  Gods  were  sitting  in  the  temple  one  of  them 
said  :  "Where  is  Miwa  DaimyO-jin  ?  "  All  the  Gods 
looked  everywhere  for  him,  but  he  was  not  to  be 
found.  Now  Miwa  DaimyO-jin  was  extremely  deaf, 
and,  owing  to  this  defect,  he  had  mistaken  the  great 
day  when  the  Gods  met  together.  When  he  reached 
Izumo  the  meeting  had  been  dissolved,  and  all  the  Gods 
laughed  very  much  when  they  heard  about  it,  a  laughter 
that  is  imitated  year  by  year  in  the  Laughing  festival 
to  which  we  have  referred. 

The  Torii 

We  have  referred  in  this  chapter  and  elsewhere  to 
the  torii,  and  though  authorities  agree  to  differ  in 
regard  to  its  use  and  origin,  the  theme  is  a  fascinating 
one  and  well  worthy  of  study.  According  to  a  popular 

p  225 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

account  the  word  torii  means  "fowl-dwelling"  or  "bird- 
rest/'  On  the  top  beam  of  this  imposing  gateway  the 
fowls  heralded  the  approach  of  dawn,  and  in  their  cry 
bade  the  priests  attend  to  their  early  morning  prayers. 
In  one  legend  we  are  informed  that  the  sun  descends 
to  earth  in  the  form  of  the  Ho-Ho  Bird,  messenger  of 
love,  peace,  and  goodwill,  and  rests  upon  one  of  the 
torii. 

Professor B.  H.. Chamberlain  regards  the  "bird-rest" 
etymology  and  the  theories  derived  from  it  as  erroneous, 
and  believes  that  the  torii  came  originally  from  Asia. 
He  writes,  in  Things  Japanese  :  "  The  Koreans  erect 
somewhat  similar  gateways  at  the  approach  of  their  royal 
palaces  ;  the  Chinese  p*ai  Iouy  serving  to  record  the  vir- 
tues of  male  or  female  worthies,  seem  related  in  shape 
as  well  as  in  use  ;  and  the  occurrence  of  the  word  turan 
in  Northern  India  and  of  the  word  tori  in  Central  India, 
to  denote  gateways  of  strikingly  cognate  appearance, 
gives  matter  for  reflection."  Dr.  W.  G.  Aston  also 
believes  that  the  torii  came  from  abroad,  "  but  holds 
that  it  was  fitted  with  a  pre-existing  name,  which  would 
have  originally  designated  c  a  lintel '  before  it  came  to 
have  its  present  sacred  associations." * 

In  regard  to  the  construction  of  these  gateways, 
Mrs.  C.  M.  Salwey  writes  :  "The  oldest  torii  of  Japan 
.  .  .  were  constructed  of  plain  unvarnished  wood.  In 
fact,  they  were  built  of  straight,  upright  trunks  of  trees 
in  their  natural  state,  though  sometimes  bereft  of  the 
outer  bark.  Later  on  the  wood  was  painted  a  deep,  rich 
vermilion,  possibly  to  heighten  the  effect  when  the 
background  was  densely  wooded."  Though  the  torii 
was  originally  associated  with  Shintoism,  it  was  later 
on  adopted  by  the  Buddhists,  who  considerably  altered 
its  simple  but  beautiful  construction  by  turning  up  the 

1  Things  Japanese,  by  Professor  B.  H.  Chamberlain. 
226 


THE  FOOTSTOOL  OF  THE  KING 

corners  of  the  horizontal  beams,  supplying  inscriptions 
and  ornaments  of  various  kinds. 

''The  Footstool  of  the  King*' 

Whatever  the  origin  and  significance  of  the  Shinto 
torii  may  be,  no  one  will  deny  its  exquisite  beauty,  and 
many  will  agree  in  believing  it  to  be  the  most  perfect 
gateway  in  the  world.  Perhaps  the  most  wonderful  torii 
is  the  one  that  stands  before  the  Itsukushima  shrine  on 
the  Island  of  Myajima,  and  it  is  called  "  The  Footstool 
of  the  King,"  "The  Gateway  of  Light,"  or  "The 
Water  Gate  of  the  Sacred  Island." 

Mrs.  Salwey  writes  :  "  Is  not  this  Gateway  the 
symbol  of  the  Right  Direction,  according  to  the  dogmas 
of  the  Shinto  Cult,  the  Goal  towards  which  the  face 
should  be  turned — cThe  Way  of  the  Gods/  Are 
they  not  monitors  writing  their  mystic  message  as  an 
ideographic  sign  over  the  Lord  of  the  Gods  before  the 
rising  and  setting  sun,  enhancing  by  their  presence  the 
dense  luxuriance  of  cryptomerian  avenue,  reflecting 
within  dark,  still  rivers  or  the  silver  ripples  of  the  In- 
land Sea?"  We  must  be  content  with  this  pleasing 
interpretation  of  the  symbolism  of  the  torii y  for  it  takes 
us  through  the  gate  of  conflicting  theories,  and  gives 
us  something  more  satisfying  than  the  ramifications  of 
etymology. 


227 


CHAPTER  XVIII :  THE  PEONY. 
LANTERN1 

'*  Morning  Dew  " 

("Morning  Dew")  was  the  only  daughter 
oFlijima.  When  her  father  married  again  she 
found  she  could  not  live  happily  with  her 
stepmother,  and  a  separate  house  H  was  built  for  her, 
where  she  lived  with  her  servant-r^aid  Yone. 

One  day  Tsuyu  received  a  visTt^rrdm  the  family 
physician,  Yamamoto  ShiJQ, accompanied  by  a  handsome 
young  samurai  named  Hagiwark ._  ShinzaburO.  These 
young  people  fell  in  love  with  each  other,  and  at  part- 
ing Tsuyu  whispered  to  ShinzaburO  :  "Remember!  if 
you  do  not  come  to  see  me  again  I  shall  certainly  die  !  " 

ShinzaburO  had  every  intention  of  seeing  the  fair 
Tsuyu  as  frequently  as  possible.  Etiquette,  however, 
would  not  allow  him  to  visit  her  alone,  so  that  he  was 
compelled  to  rely  on  the  old  doctor's  promise  to  take 
him  to  the  villa  where  his  loved  one  lived.  The  old 
doctor,  however,  having  seen  more  than  the  young 
people  had  supposed,  purposely  refrained  from  keeping 
his  promise. 

Tsuyu,  believing  that  the  handsome  young  samurai 
*  had  proved  unfaithful,  slowly  pined  away  and  died. 
Her  faithful  servant  Yone  also  died  soon  afterwards, 
being  unable  to  live  without  her  mistress,  and  they 
were  buried  side  by  side  in  the  cemetery  of  Shin- 
Banzui-In. 

Shortly  after  this  sad  event  had  taken  place  the  old 

1  This  story,  though  inspired  by  a  Chinese  tale,  is  Japanese  in 
local  colour,  and  serves  to  illustrate,  in  an  extremely  weird  way,  the 
power  of  Karma,  or  human  desire,  referred  to  in  Chapter  X.  We 
have  closely  followed  Lafcadio  Hearn's  rendering,  to  be  found  in 
In  Ghostly  Japan. 
228 


Shinzaburo  recognised  Tsuyu  and  her  maid  Yone.  228 


THE  DEAD  RETURN 

doctor  called  upon  Shinzaburo  and  gave  him  full  par- 
ticulars of  the  death  of  Tsuyu  and  her  maid. 

Shinzaburo  felt  the  blow  keenly.  Night  and  day 
the  girl  was  in  his  thoughts.  He  inscribed  her  name 
upon  a  mortuary  tablet,  placed  offerings  before  it,  and 
repeated  many  prayers. 

The  Dead  Return 

When  the  first  day  of  the  Festival  of  the  Dead1 
arrived  he  set  food  on  the  Shelf  of  Souls  and  hung  out 
lanterns  to  guide  the  spirits  during  their  brief  earthly 
sojourn.  As  the  night  was  warm  and  the  moon  at  her 
full,  he  sat  in  his  verandah  and  waited.  He  felt  that  all 
these  preparations  would  not  be  in  vain,  and  in  his  heart 
he  believed  that  the  soul  of  Tsuyu  would  come  to  him. 

Suddenly  the  stillness  was  broken  by  the  sound  of 
kara-kon,  kara-kon,  the  soft  patter  of  women's  geta. 
There  was  something  strange  and  haunting  about  the 
sound.  Shinzaburo  rose  and  peeped  over  the  hedge. 
He  saw  two  women.  One  was  carrying  a  long-shaped 
lantern  with  silk  peonies  stuck  in  at  the  upper  end; 
the  other  wore  a  lovely  robe  covered  with  designs  of 
autumnal  blossom.  In  another  moment  he  recognised 
the  sweet  figure  of  Tsuyu  and  her  maid  Yon6. 

When  Yone  had  explained  that  the  wicked  old  doctor 
had  told  them  that  Shinzaburo  was  dead,  and  the  young 
samurai  had  likewise  informed  his  visitors  that  he,  too, 
had  learnt  from  the  same  source  that  his  loved  one  and 
her  maid  had  departed  this  life,  the  two  women  entered 
the  house,  and  remained  there  that  night,  returning 
home  a  little  before  sunrise.  Night  after  night  they 
came  in  this  mysterious  manner,  and  always  Yon6 
carried  the  shining  peony-lantern,  always  she  and  her 
mistress  departed  at  the  same  hour. 

1  See  Chapter  XVII. 

229 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

A  Spy 

One  night  TomozO,  one  of  Shinzaburo's  servants, 
who  lived  next  door  to  his  master,  chanced  to  hear  the 
sound  of  a  woman's  voice  in  his  lord's  apartment.  He 
peeped  through  a  crack  in  one  of  the  sliding  doors,  and 
perceived  by  the  night-lantern  within  the  room  that  his 
master  was  talking  with  a  strange  woman  under  the 
mosquito-net.  Their  conversation  was  so  extraordinary 
that  TomozO  was  determined  to  see  the  woman's  face. 
When  he  succeeded  in  doing  so  his  hair  stood  on  end 
and  he  trembled  violently,  for  he  saw  the  face  of  a  dead 
woman,  a  woman  long  dead.  There  was  no  flesh  on 
her  fingers,  for  what  had  once  been  fingers  were  now  a 
bunch  of  jangling  bones.  Only  the  upper  part  of  her 
body  had  substance ;  below  her  waist  there  was  but  a 
dim,  moving  shadow.  While  TomozO  gazed  with 
horror  upon  such  a  revolting  scene  a  second  woman's 
figure  sprang  up  from  within  the  room.  She  made 
for  the  chink  and  for  Tomozo's  eye  behind  it.  With 
a  shriek  of  terror  the  spying  TomozO  fled  to  the  house 
of  Hakuodo  Yusai. 

Yusai's  Advice 

Now  Yusai  was  a  man  well  versed  in  all  manner  of 
mysteries ;  but  nevertheless  Tomozo's.  story  made 
considerable  impression  upon  him,  and  he  listened  to 
every  detail  with  the  utmost  amazement.  When  the 
servant  had  finished  his  account  of  the  affair  Yusai  in- 
formed him  that  his  master  was  a  doomed  man  if  the 
woman  proved  to  be  a  ghost,  that  love  between  the 
living  and  the  dead  ended  in  the  destruction  of  the 
living. 

However,  apart  from  critically  examining  this  strange 
event,  Yusai  took  practical  steps  to  rescue  this  young 
230 


HOLY  CHARMS 

samurai  from  so  horrible  a  fate.  The  next  morning  he 
discussed  the  matter  with  Shinzaburo,  and  told  him 
pretty  clearly  that  he  had  been  loving  a  ghost,  and  that 
the  sooner  he  got  rid  of  that  ghost  the  better  it  would 
be  for  him.  He  ended  his  discourse  by  advising  the 
youth  to  go  to  the  district  of  Shitaya,  in  Yanaka-no- 
Sasaki,  the  place  where  these  women  had  said  they 
lived. 

The  Mystery  is  Revealed 

Shinzaburo  carried  out  Yusai's  advice,  but  nowhere 
in  the  quarter  of  Yanaka-no-Sasaki  could  he  find  the 
dwelling-place  of  Tsuyu.  On  his  return  home  he 
happened  to  pass  through  the  temple  Shin-Banzui-In. 
There  he  saw  two  tombs  placed  side  by  side,  one  of  no . 
distinction,  and  the  other  large  and  handsome,  adorned 
with  a  peony-lantern  swinging  gently  in  the  breeze. 
Shinzaburo  remembered  that  this  lantern  and  the  one 
carried  by  Yone  were  identical,  and  an  acolyte  informed 
him  that  the  tombs  were  those  of  Tsuyu  and  Yone. 
Then  it  was  that  he  realised  the  strange  meaning  of 
Yon6's  words:  "We  went  away,  and  found  a  'very 
small  house  in  Tanaka-no-Sasaki.  There  we  are  now  just 
barely  able  to  live  by  doing  a  little  private  work"  Their 
house,  then,  was  a  grave.  The  ghost  of  Yone  carried 
the  peony-lantern,  and  the  ghost  of  Tsuyu  wound 
her  fleshless  arms  about  the  neck  of  the  young 
samurai. 

Holy  Charms 

Shinzaburo,  now  fully  aware  of  the  horror  of  the 
situation,  hastily  retraced  his  steps  and  sought  counsel 
from  the  wise,  far-seeing  Yusai.  This  learned  man 
confessed  his  inability  to  help  him  further  in  the  matter, 
but  advised  him  to  go  to  Ithe  high-priest  RyOseki,  of 

231 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Shin-Banzui-In,  and  gave  him  a  letter  explaining  what 
had  taken  place. 

RyOseki  listened  unmoved  to  Shinzaburo's  story,  for 
he  had  heard  so  many  bearing  on  the  same  theme,  the 
evil  power  of  Karma.  He  gave  the  young  man  a 

1  small  gold  image  of  Buddha,  which  he  instructed  him 
to  wear  next  his  skin,  telling  him  that  it  would  protect 

!  the  living  from  the  dead.  He  also  gave  him  a  holy 
sutra^  called  "Treasure-Raining  Sutra,"  which  he  was 
commended  to  recite  in  his  house  every  night  ;  and 
lastly  he  gave  him  a  bundle  of  sacred  texts.  Each 
holy  strip  he  was  to  paste  over  an  opening  in  his 
house. 

By  nightfall  everything  was  in  order  in  Shinzaburo's 
house.  All  the  apertures  were  covered  with  sacred 
texts,  and  the  air  resounded  with  the  recitation  of  the 
"  Treasure-Raining  Sutra,"  while  the  little  gold  Buddha 
swayed  upon  the  samurai 's  breast.  But  somehow  or 
other  peace  did  not  come  to  ShinzaburO  that  night. 
Sleep  refused  to  close  his  weary  eyes,  and  just  as  a 
temple  bell  ceased  booming  he  heard  the  old  karan- 
koron,  karan-koron — the  patter  of  ghostly  geta  !  Then 
the  sound  ceased.  Fear  and  joy  battled  within  Shinza- 
buro's heart.  He  stopped  reciting  the  holy  sutra  and 
looked  forth  into  the  night.  Once  more  he  saw  Tsuyu 
and  her  maid  with  the  peony-lantern.  Never  before 
had  Tsuyu  looked  so  beautiful  or  so  alluring  ;  but  a 
nameless  terror  held  him  back.  He  heard  with  bitter 
anguish  the  women  speaking  together.  He  heard  Yone 
tell  her  mistress  that  his  love  had  changed  because  his 
doors  had  been  made  fast  against  them,  followed  by  the 
plaintive  weeping  of  Tsuyu.  At  last  the  women  wan- 
dered round  to  the  back  of  the  house.  But  back  and 
front  alike  prevented  their  entry,  so  potent  were  the 
sacred  words  of  the  Lord  Buddha. 
232 


THE  BETRAYAL 

The  Betrayal 

As  all  the  efforts  of  Yone  to  enter  Shinzaburo's  house 
were  of  no  avail,  she  went  night  after  night  to  TomozO 
and  begged  him  to  remove  the  sacred  texts  from  his 
master's  dwelling.  Over  and  over  again,  out  of  intense 
fear,  TomozO  promised  to  do  so,  but  with  the  coming 
of  daylight  he  grew  brave  and  decided  not  to  betray  one 
to  whom  he  owed  so  much.  One  night,  however,  Yon£ 
refused  to  be  trifled  with.  She  threatened  TomozO  with 
awful  hatred  if  he  did  not  take  away  one  of  the  sacred 
texts,  and  in  addition  she  pulled  such  a  terrible  face  that 
TomozO  nearly  died  of  fright. 

TomozO's  wife  Min£  happened  to  awake  and  hear  A 
the  voice  of  a  strange  woman  speaking  to  her  husband. 
When  the  ghost-woman  had  vanished  Mine  gave  her 
lord  cunning  counsel  to  the  effect  that  he  should  con- 
sent to  carry  out  Tone's  request  provided  that  she 
would  reward  him  with  a  hundred  ryv. 

Two  nights  later,  when  this  wicked  servant  had  re- 
ceived his  reward,  he  gave  Yon£  the  little  gold  image 
of  Buddha,  took  down  from  his  master's  house  one  of 
the  sacred  texts,  and  buried  in  a  field  the  sutra  which 
his  master  used  to  recite.  This  enabled  Yon£  and  her 
mistress  to  enter  the  house  of  ShinzaburO  once  more, 
and  with  their  entry  began  again  this  horrible  love  of  the 
dead,  presided  over  by  the  mysterious  power  of  Karma. 

When  TomozO  came  the  next  morning  to  call  his 
master  as  usual,  he  obtained  no  response  to  his  knock- 
ing. At  last  he  entered  the  apartment,  and  there,  under 
the  mosquito-net,  lay  his  master  dead,  and  beside  him 
were  the  white  bones  of  a  woman.  The  bones  of 
"  Morning  Dew  "  were  twined  round  the  neck  of  one 
who  had  loved  her  too  well,  of  one  who  had  loved  her 
with  a  fierce  passion  that  at  the  last  had  been  his  undoing. 


CHAPTER  XIX  :  KOBO  DAISHI, 
NICHIREN,  AND  SHODO  SHONIN 

"When  he  died  it  was  as  though  a  bright   light   had 
gone  out  in  the  midst  of  a  black  night." 

"Namudaism."     (Trans,  by  ARTHUR  LLOYD.) 

The  "Namudaishi* 

KOBO  DAISHI1  ("  Glory  to  the  Great  Teacher  "), 
who  was  born  A.D.  774,  was  the  most  holy  and 
most  famous  of  the  Japanese  Buddhist  saints. 
He  founded  the  Shingon-shu,  a  Buddhist  sect  remark- 
able for  its  magical  formulae  and  for  its  abstruse  and 
esoteric  teachings,  and  he  is  also  said  to  have  invented 
the  Hiragana  syllabary,  a  form  of  running  script.  In 
the  Namudaishi,  which  is  a  Japanese  poem  on  the  life 
of  this  great  saint,  we  are  informed  that  Kobo  Daishi 
brought  back  with  him  from  China  a  millstone  and 
some  seeds  of  the  tea-plant,  and  thus  revived  the  drink- 
ing of  this  beverage,  which  had  fallen  into  disuse.  We 
are  also  told  in  the  same  poem  that  it  was  Kobo  Daishi 
who  "  demonstrated  to  the  world  the  use  of  coal."  He 
was  renowned  as  a  great  preacher,  but  was  not  less 
famous  as  a  calligraphist,  painter,  sculptor,  and  traveller. 

"A  Divine  Prodigy " 

Kobo  Daishi,  however,  is  essentially  famous  for  the 
extraordinary  miracles  which  he  performed,  and  nume- 
rous are  the  legends  associated  with  him.  His  concep- 
tion was  miraculous,  for  when  he  was  born  in  the 
Baron's  Hall,  on  the  shore  of  Byobu,  a  bright  light  shone, 
and  he  came  into  the  world  with  his  hands  folded  as  if 
in  prayer.  When  but  five  years  of  age  he  would  sit 

1  The  saint's  name  when  living  was  Kukai.     KobO  Daishi  was  a 
posthumous  title,  and  it  is  by  this  title  that  he  is  generally  known. 
234 


GOHITSU-OSHO 

among  the  lotuses  and  converse  with  Buddhas,  and  he 
kept  secret  all  the  wisdom  he  thus  obtained.  His  heart 
was  troubled  by  the  sorrow  and  pain  of  humanity. 
While  on  Mount  Shashin  he  sought  to  sacrifice  his  own 
life  by  way  of  propitiation,  but  he  was  prevented  from 
doing  so  by  a  number  of  angels  who  would  not  allow 
this  ardent  soul  to  suffer  death  until  he  had  fulfilled  his 
destiny.  His  very  games  were  of  a  religious  nature. 
On  one  occasion  he  built  a  clay  pagoda,  and  he  was 
immediately  surrounded  by  the  Four  Heavenly  Kings 
(originally  Hindu  deities).  The  Imperial  Messenger, 
who  happened  to  pass  by  when  this  miracle  took  place, 
was  utterly  amazed,  and  described  the  young  Kobe 
Daishi  as  "a  divine  prodigy."  While  at  Muroto,  in 
Tosa,  performing  his  devotions,  we  are  told  in  the  Namu- 
daishi  that  a  bright  star  fell  from  Heaven  and  entered 
his  mouth,  while  at  midnight  an  evil  dragon  came 
forth  against  him,  "  but  he  spat  upon  it,  and  with  his 
saliva  he  killed  it." 

In  his  nineteenth  year  he  wore  the  black  silk  robes  of 
a  Buddhist  priest,  and  with  a  zeal  that  never  failed  him 
sought  for  enlightenment.  "  Many  are  the  ways,"  he 
said  ;<  "but  Buddhism  is  the  best  of  all."  During  his 
mystical  studies  he  came  across  a  book  containing  the 
Shingon  doctrine,  a  doctrine  that  closely  resembles  the 
old  Egyptian  speculations.  The  book  was  so  abstruse 
that  even  Kobo  Daishi  failed  to  master  it ;  but,  nothing 
daunted,  he  received  permission  from  the  Emperor  to 
visit  China,  where  he  ultimately  unravelled  its  profound 
mysteries,  and  attained  to  that  degree  of  saintship  asso- 
ciated with  the  miraculous. 

GohitsU'Osho 

When  Kobo  Daishi  was  in  China  the  Emperor,  hear- 
ing of  his  fame,  sent  for  him  and  bade  him  rewrite  the 

235 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

name  of  a  certain  room  in  the  royal  palace,  a  name  that 
had  become  obliterated  by  the  effacing  finger  of  Time. 
Kobo  Daishi,  with  a  brush  in  each  hand,  another  in  his 
mouth,  and  two  others  between  the  toes,  wrote  the 
characters  required  upon  the  wall,  and  for  this  extra- 
ordinary performance  the  Emperor  named  him  Gohitsu- 
Osho  ("  The  Priest  who  writes  with  Five  Brushes  "). 

Writing  on  Sky  and  Water 

While  still  in  China  Kobo  Daishi  met  a  boy  standing 
by  the  side  of  a  river.  "  If  you  be  Kobo  Daishi,"  said 
he,  "  be  honourably  pleased  to  write  upon  the  sky,  for  I 
have  heard  that  no  wonder  is  beyond  your  power." 

Kobo  Daishi  raised  his  brush  ;  it  moved  quickly  in  the 
air,  and  writing  appeared  in  the  blue  sky,  characters 
that  were  perfectly  formed  and  wonderfully  beautiful. 

When  the  boy  had  also  written  upon  the  sky  with  no 
less  skill,  he  said  to  Kobo  Daishi :  "  We  have  both 
written  upon  the  sky.  Now  I  beg  that  you  will  write 
upon  this  flowing  river." 

Kobo  Daishi  readily  complied.  Once  again  his  brush 
moved,  and  this  time  a  poem  appeared  on  the  water,  a 
poem  written  in  praise  of  that  particular  river.  The 
letters  lingered  for  a  moment,  and  then  were  carried 
away  by  the  swift  current. 

There  seems  to  have  been  a  contest  in  magical  power 
between  these  two  workers  of  marvels,  for  no  sooner  had 
the  letters  passed  out  of  sight  than  the  boy  also  wrote 
upon  the  running  water  the  character  of  the  Dragon,  and 
it  remained  stationary. 

Kobo  Daishi,  who  was  a  great  scholar,  at  once  per- 
ceived that  the  boy  had  omitted  the  ten,  a  dot  which 
rightly  belonged  to  this  character.  When  Kobo  Daishi 
pointed  out  the  error,  the  boy  told  him  that  he  had  for- 
gotten to  insert  the  ten,  and  begged  that  the  famous 
236 


KINO  MOMOYE  AND  ONOMO  TOKU 

saint  would  put  it  in  for  him.  No  sooner  had  Kobo 
Daishi  done  so  than  the  Dragon  character  became  a 
Dragon.  Its  tail  lashed  the  waters,  thunder-clouds 
sped  across  the  sky,  and  lightning  flashed.  In  another 
moment  the  Dragon  arose  from  the  water  and  ascended 
to  heaven. 

Though  Kobo  Daishi's  powers  of  magic  excelled 
those  of  the  boy,  he  inquired  who  this  youth  might  be, 
and  the  boy  replied:  "  I  am  Monju  Bosatsu,  the  Lord  of 
Wisdom."  Having  spoken  these  words,  he  became 
illumined  by  a  radiant  light ;  the  beauty  of  the  Gods 
shone  upon  his  countenance,  and,  like  the  Dragon,  he 
ascended  into  heaven. 

How  Kob5  Daishi  Painted  the  Ten 

On  one  occasion  Kobo  Daishi  omitted  the  ten  on  a 
tablet  placed  above  one  of  the  gates  of  the  Emperor's 
palace.1  The  Emperor  commanded  that  ladders  should 
be  brought;  but  Kobo  Daishi,  without  making  use  of 
them,  stood  upon  the  ground,  and  threw  up  his  brush, 
which,  after  making  the  ##,  fell  into  his  hand. 

Kino  Momoye  and  Onomo  Toku 

Kino  Momoye  once  ridiculed  some  of  Kobo  Daishi's 
characters,  and  said  that  one  of  them  resembled  a  con- 
ceited wrestler.  On  the  night  he  made  this  foolish  jest 
Momoye  dreamed  that  a  wrestler  struck  him  blow  upon 
blow — moreover,  that  his  antagonist  leapt  upon  his  body, 
causing  him  considerable  pain.  Momoye  awoke,  and 
cried  aloud  in  his  agony,  and  as  he  cried  he  saw  the 
wrestler  suddenly  change  into  the  character  he  had  so 
unwisely  jeered  at.  It  rose  into  the  air,  and  went  back 
to  the  tablet  from  whence  it  had  come. 

1  Hence  the  Japanese  proverb  :  "  Even  Kobo  Daishi  sometimes 
wrote  wrong." 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Momoye  was  not  the  only  man  who  imprudently 
scoffed  at  the  great  Kobo  Daishi's  work.  Legend 
records  that  one  named  Onomo  Toku  said  that  the 
saint's  character  Shu  was  far  more  like  the  character 
"  rice."  That  night  Onomo  Toku  had  good  reason  to 
regret  his  folly,  for  in  a  dream  the  character  Shu  took 
bodily  form  and  became  a  rice-cleaner,  who  moved  up 
and  down  the  offender's  body  after  the  manner  of 
hammers  that  were  used  in  beating  this  grain.  When 
Onomo  Toku  awoke  it  was  to  find  that  his  body  was 
covered  with  bruises  and  that  his  flesh  was  bleeding  in 
many  places. 

Kobo  Daishi's  Return 

When  Kobo  Daishi  was  about  to  leave  China  and 
return  to  his  own  country  he  went  down  to  the  seashore 
and  threw  his  vajra  *  across  the  ocean  waves,  and  it  was 
afterwards  found  hanging  on  the  branch  of  a  pine-tree  at 
Takano,  in  Japan. 

We  are  not  told  anything  about  Kobo  Daishi's  voyage 
to  his  own  land ;  but  directly  he  arrived  in  Japan  he 
gave  thanks  for  the  divine  protection  he  had  received 
during  his  travels.  On  the  Naked  Mountain  he  offered 
incantations  of  so  powerful  a  nature  that  the  once  barren 
mountain  became  covered  with  flowers  and  trees. 

Kobo  Daishi,  as  time  advanced,  became  still  more 
holy.  During  a  religious  discussion  the  Divine  Light 
streamed  from  him,  and  he  continued  to  perform  many 
great  marvels.  He  made  brackish  water  pure,  raised  the 
dead  to  life,  and  continued  to  commune  with  certain 
gods.  On  one  occasion  Inari,2  the  God  of  Rice, 

1  An  instrument  of  incantation  somewhat  resembling  a  thunder- 
bolt. 

2  At   a    later   period  Inari   was  known  as   the  Fox   God.     See 
Chapter  V. 

238 


A  MIRACULOUS  IMAGE 

appeared  on  Mount  Fushime  and  took  from  the  great 
saint  the  sacrifice  he  offered.  "Together,  you  and  I,' ' 
said  Kobo  Daishi,  "we  will  protect  this  people." 

The  Death  of  Kobo  Daishi 

In  A.D.  834  this  remarkable  saint  died,  and  we  are  told 
that  a  very  great  gathering,  both  lay  and  priestly,  wept  at 
the  graveyard  of  Okunoin,  in  Koya,  where  he  was  buried. 
His  death,  however,  by  no  means  meant  a  sudden  cessa- 
tion of  miracles  on  his  part,  for  when  the  Emperor  Saga 
died  "  his  coffin  was  mysteriously  borne  through  the  air  to 
Koya,  and  Kobo  himself,  coming  forth  from  his  grave, 
performed  the  funeral  obsequies."  Nor  did  the  wonders 
cease  with  this  incident,  for  the  Emperor  Uda  received 
from  Kobo  Daishi  the  sacred  Baptism.  When  the 
Imperial  Messenger  to  the  temple  where  Kobo  Daishi 
was  worshipped  was  unable  to  see  the  face  of  this 
great  saint,  Kobo  "guided  the  worshipper's  hand  to 
touch  his  knee.  Never,  as  long  as  he  lived,  did  the 
Messenger  forget  that  feeling  !  " 

A  Miraculous  Image 

At  Kawasaki  there  is  a  temple  dedicated  to  Kobo 
Daishi.  "  Local  legend  attributes  the  sanctity  of  this 
place  to  an  image  of  Kobo  Daishi  carved  by  that  saint 
himself  while  in  China,  and  consigned  by  him  to  the 
waves.  It  floated  to  this  coast,  where  it  was  caught  in 
a  fisherman's  net,  and,  being  conveyed  ashore,  performed 
numerous  miracles.  The  trees  in  the  temple  grounds, 
trained  in  the  shape  of  junks  under  sail,  attest  the 
devotion  paid  to  this  holy  image  by  the  seafaring 
folk." l 

1  Murray's  Handbook  for  Japan,  by  B.  H.  Chamberlain  and  W.  B. 
Mason. 

239 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Nichiren 

Nichiren  was  the  founder  of  the  Buddhist  sect  which 
bears  his  name.  His  name  means  Sun  Lotus,  and  was 
given  to  him  because  his  mother  dreamt  that  the  sun 
rested  on  a  lotus  when  she  conceived  him.  Nichiren 
was  an  iconoclast  of  very  marked  character.  He  received, 
by  revelation,  a  complete  knowledge  of  Buddhist  mys- 
teries, though  in  reading  the  story  of  his  life  one  would 
have  supposed  that  he  acquired  his  remarkable  religious 
wisdom  through  arduous  study.  During  his  lifetime 
Japan  was  visited  by  a  terrible  earthquake,  followed  by 
a  destructive  hurricane,  pestilence,  and  famine.  So  great 
were  these  calamities  that  men  prayed  to  die  rather  than 
live  amidst  such  universal  misery.  Nichiren  saw  in  these 
great  disasters  the  hand  of  Fate.  He  saw  that  religion 
and  politics  had  become  corrupt,  and  that  Nature  had 
rebelled  against  the  numerous  evils  that  existed  at  that 
time.  Nichiren  realised  that  Buddhism  was  no  longer 
the  simple  teaching  of  the  Lord  Buddha.  In  the  various 
Buddhist  sects  he  had  studied  so  diligently  he  found 
that  the  priests  had  neglected  Shaka  Muni  (the  Buddha), 
and  worshipped  Amida,  a  manifestation  of  the  Lord 
Buddha,  instead.  Nor  did  their  heresy  end  there,  for 
he  found  that  priests  and  people  also  worshipped  Kwan- 
non  and  other  divinities.  Nichiren  desired  to  sweep 
these  deities  aside  and  to  restore  Buddhism  to  its  old 
purity  and  singleness  of  purpose.  He  cried  in  one  of 
his  sermons  :  "  Awake,  men,  awake  !  Awake  and  look 
around  you.  No  man  is  born  with  two  fathers  or  two 
mothers.  Look  at  the  heavens  above  you  :  there  are 
no  two  suns  in  the  sky.  Look  at  the  earth  at  your 
feet  :  no  two  kings  can  rule  a  country."  In  other 
words,  he  implied  that  no  one  can  serve  two  masters, 
and  the  only  master  he  found  to  be  worthy  of  service 
240 


NICHIREN 

and  worship  was  Buddha  himself.  With  this  belief  he 
sought  to  replace  the  ordinary  mantra,  Namu  Amida  Butsuy 
by  Namu  Myvhv  Renge  KyG  ("  Oh,  the  Scripture  of  the 
Lotus  of  the  Wonderful  Law  !  "). 

Nichiren  wrote  Risshv  Ankvku  Ron  ("  Book  to  Tran- 
quillise  the  Country  "),  which  contained  the  prediction 
of  a  Mongol  invasion  and  many  bitter  attacks  against 
the  other  Buddhist  sects.  At  length  Hojo  Tokiyori 
was  compelled  to  exile  him  to  I  to  for  thirty  years.  He 
escaped,  however,  and  renewed  his  heated  attacks  upon 
the  rival  sects.  Nichiren's  enemies  sought  assistance 
from  the  Regent  Tokimune,  who  decided  to  have  the 
monk  beheaded,  and  the  vindictive  Nichiren  was  finally 
sent  to  the  beach  of  Koshigoye  to  be  executed.  While 
awaiting  the  fatal  stroke  Nichiren  prayed  to  Buddha, 
and  the  sword  broke  as  it  touched  his  neck.  Nor  was 
this  the  only  miracle,  for  immediately  after  the  breaking 
of  the  sword  a  flash  of  lightning  struck  the  palace  at 
Kamakura,  and  a  heavenly  light  surrounded  the  saintly 
Nichiren.  The  official  entrusted  with  the  deed  of  exe- 
cution was  considerably  impressed  by  these  supernatural 
events,  and  he  sent  a  messenger  to  the  Regent  for  a 
reprieve.  Tokimune,  however,  had  sent  a  horseman 
bearing  a  pardon,  and  the  two  men  met  at  a  river  now 
called  Yukiai  ("  Place  of  Meeting/') 

Nichiren's  miraculous  escape  was  followed  by  an  even 
more  vigorous  attack  on  those  whom  he  considered 
were  not  of  the  true  religion.  He  was  again  exiled, 
and  finally  took  up  his  abode  on  Mount  Minobu. 
It  is  said  that  a  beautiful  woman  came  to  this  mountain 
whilst  Nichiren  was  praying.  When  the  great  saint 
saw  her,  he  said  :  "  Resume  your  natural  state."  After 
the  woman  had  drunk  water  she  changed  into  a  snake 
nearly  twenty  feet  long,  with  iron  teeth  and  golden 
scales. 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Shodo  Shonin 

Shodo  Shonin  was  the  founder  of  the  first  Buddhist 
temple  at  Nikko,  and  the  following  legend  is  supposed 
to  have  led  to  the  construction  of  the  sacred  bridge 
of  Nikko.  One  day,  while  Shodo  Shonin  was  on  a 
journey,  he  saw  four  strange-looking  clouds  rise  from 
the  earth  to  the  sky.  He  pressed  forward  in  order  to 
see  them  more  clearly,  but  could  not  go  far,  for  he 
found  that  his  road  was  barred  by  a  wild  torrent. 
While  he  was  praying  for  some  means  to  continue  his 
journey  a  gigantic  figure  appeared  before  him,  clad 
in  blue  and  black  robes,  with  a  necklace  of  skulls. 
The  mysterious  being  cried  to  him  from  the  opposite 
bank,  saying :  cc  I  will  help  you  as  I  once  helped 
Hiuen."  Having  uttered  these  words,  the  Deity  threw 
two  blue  and  green  snakes  across  the  river,  and  on  this 
bridge  of  snakes  the  priest  was  able  to  cross  the  torrent. 
When  Shodo  Shonin  had  reached  the  other  bank  the 
God  and  his  blue  and  green  snakes  disappeared. 


242 


CHAPTER  XX : FANS 

The  Significance  of  the  Japanese  Fan 

HER  weapons  are  a  smile  and  a  little  fan." 
This  quotation  from  Mr.  Yone  Noguchi  only 
illustrates  one  phase  of  the  Japanese  fan,  the 
phase  with  which  we  are  familiar  in  our  own  country. 
The  Japanese  fan  is  not  merely  a  dainty  feminine  trifle 
to  be  used  in  conjunction  with  a  smile  or  with  eyes 
peeping  behind  some  exquisite  floral  design.  Nippon's 
fan  has  a  fascinating  history  quite  outside  the  gentle 
art  of  coquetry,  and  those  who  are  interested  in  this 
subject  would  do  well  to  consult  Mrs.  C.  M.  Salwey's 
Fans  of  Japan.  Here  the  reader  will  find  that  the  fan 
of  the  Land  of  the  Rising  Sun  has  performed  many 
important  offices.  It  has  been  used  by  ancient  warriors 
on  the  battlefield  as  a  means  of  giving  emphasis  to 
their  commands.  On  one  occasion  it  was  the  mark  of 
Nasu  no  Yoichi's  bow,  and  although  the  sun-marked 
fan  was  whirling  in  the  wind,  tied  to*  a  staff  in  the  gunwale 
of  one  of  the  Taira  ships,  Yoichi  brought  it  down : 

"  Alas !  the  fan  ! 
Now  driftwood  on  the  sea. 
The  lord  Nasu, 
Skilful  with  the  bow, 
Yoichi's  fame  is  spread." 

A  certain  Japanese  fan,  of  gigantic  size,  is  used  in  the 
festival  of  the  Sun  Goddess  in  Ise,  and  there  is  a  pretty 
story  told  of  the  widow  of  Atsumori  becoming  a  nun 
and  curing  a  priest  by  fanning  him  with  the  first  folding 
fan,  which  is  said  to  have  been  her  own  invention. 

One  of  the  most  important  parts  of  the  Japanese 
fan,  as  of  any  other,  is  the  rivet,  and  concerning  the 
rivet  there  is  the  following  legend.  Kashima  on 
one  occasion  stuck  his  sword  through  the  earth,  with 

243 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

the  idea  of  steadying  the  world  and  thus  preventing 
earthquakes,  phenomena  still  prevalent  in  Japan. 
Eventually  the  sword  turned  into  stones,  and  it  was 
called  Kaname  ishiy  or  the  Rivet  Rock,  and  this  was 
the  origin  of  the  name  kaname  as  applied  to  Japanese 
fans. 

Mrs.  C.  M.  Salwey  tells  us  in  an  article  entitled 
On  Symbolism  and  Symbolic  Ceremonies  of  the  Japanese'1 
that  the  folding  fan  symbolises  life  itself.  She  writes  : 
"  The  rivet  end  typifies  the  starting-point,  the  radiating 
limbs  the  road  or  life.  .  .  .  The  outside  frame-sticks 
specify  the  parents,  the  inside  limbs  the  children,  to 
show  that  children  must  be  under  control  all  their  life 
long."  On  the  frame  there  is  often  a  cat's  eye,  sug- 
gesting the  rapid  passing  of  time,  or,  again,  there  is 
a  series  of  circles,  one  linked  into  the  other — an  incom- 
plete design,  showing  that  "  life  and  wisdom  can  never 
be  exhausted." 

There  is  a  legend  concerning  the  Japanese  fan  that 
is  extremely  pleasing,  and  neither  war  nor  philosophy 
figures  in  it.  Though  the  story  of  the  Japanese  fan  is 
wide  and  varied,  it  appeals  to  us  most  in  its  more  tender 
aspect.  The  Japanese  fan  that  has  a  love-poem  upon 
it  and  a  love-story  behind  it  is  the  fan  that  will  always 
be  the  most  precious  to  those  who  still  keep  a  place 
for  romance  in  their  hearts.  The  following  legend  is 
from  The  Diary  of  a  Convolvulus. 

The  Love  of  Asagao 

"  The  morning  glory 
Her  leaves  and  bells  has  bound 
My  bucket-handle  round. 
I  would  not  break  the  bands 
Of  those  soft  hands. 

1  4 static  Quarterly  Review,  October  1894. 
244 


THE  LOVE  OF  ASAGAO 

The  bucket  and  the  well  to  her  I  left : 
Lend  me  some  water,  for  I  come  bereft." 

From  the  Japanese.    (Trans,  by  SIR  EDWIN  ARNOLD.) 

Komagawa  Miyagi,  a  retainer  of  one  of  the  daimyvs, 
came  to  a  suburb  of  Kyoto.  As  it  happened  to  be  a 
warm  summer  evening  he  hired  a  boat,  and,  forgetting 
all  his  worries,  he  watched  many  bright-robed  little 
ladies  catching  fireflies.  In  the  air  and  on  the  grass 
these  bright  insects  shone,  so  that  the  laughing 
ladies  had  many  opportunities  of  catching  these  living 
jewels  and  placing  them  for  a  moment  in  their  hair, 
upon  poised  finger,  or  against  a  silk  flower  on  a 
kimono. 

While  Komagawa  watched  this  pretty  scene  he  saw 
that  one  of  the  ladies  was  in  difficulty  with  her  boat. 
Komagawa  at  once  came  to  her  assistance,  and  there  and 
then  fell  desperately  in  love  with  her.  They  lingered 
together  in  a  cool  recess  on  the  river,  and  no  longer 
troubled  about  fireflies,  for  both  were  eager  to  express 
their  love. 

In  order  to  pledge  their  vows  these  two  lovers, 
according  to  an  ancient  custom,  exchanged  fans.  On 
Miyuki's  fan  there  was  a  painting  of  a  convolvulus. 
Komagawa  wrote  a  poem  about  this  lovely  flower  upon 
his  own  fan  before  presenting  it  to  the  woman  he  loved. 
So  it  was  that  their  fans  and  their  vows  were  exchanged, 
and  the  convovulus,  in  picture  and  in  verse,  became 
the  pledge  of  their  troth. 

Ji  O 

Eventually  the  lovers  separated,  to  meet  again  a  few 
days  later  at  Akasha,  where  it  chanced  that  their  ships 
touched  each  other.  When  they  had  exchanged  many 
a  fair  and  loving  word  they  returned  to  their  respective 
homes. 

When  Miyuki  reached  her  home,  radiant  with  thoughts 
of  her  true  love,  she  discovered  that  her  parents  had 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

already  arranged  a  marriage  for  her  with  some  one  the 
poor  little  woman  had  never  seen. 

Miyuki  heard  this  piece  of  news  with  an  aching 
heart.  She  knew  that  children  must  obey  their  parents, 
and  when  she  was  lying  down  on  her  futon  she  did  her 
utmost  to  comply  with  her  parents'  wish.  But  the 
struggle  proved  useless,  for  the  form  of  her  lover  kept 
on  coming  back  to  her,  and  the  river  and  the  gleaming 
fireflies.  So  she  arose,  crept  out  of  the  house,  and 
walked  towards  a  certain  town,  hoping  to  find  Koma- 
gawa,  only  to  discover  on  her  arrival  that  he  had 
departed,  no  one  knew  whither. 

This  bitter  disappointment  much  affected  Miyuki, 
and  she  wept  for  many  days;  Her  salt  tears  flowed  so 
persistently  that  she  soon  became  quite  blind,  as  helpless 
a  creature  as  "  a  bird  without  feathers  or  a  fish  without 
fins." 

Miyuki,  after  she  had  given  way  to  grief  for  some 
time,  discovered  that  if  she  did  not  wish  to  starve  she 
must  do  something  to  earn  a  living.  She  made  up  her 
mind  to  make  use  of  her  excellent  voice  and  to  sing  in 
streets  or  in  tea-houses.  Her  voice,  combined  with 
her  beautiful  and  pathetic  face,  won  instant  recognition. 
People  wept  over  her  plaintive  [singing  without  know- 
ing why;  She  loved  to  sing  the  little  poem  about  the 
convolvulus  Komagawa  had  written  on  his  fan,  so  the 
people  who  heard  her  called  her  Asagao  ("  Convolvulus"). 

The  blind  maiden  was  led  from  place  to  place  by  her 
friend  Asaka ("  Slight  Fragrance"),  till  some  one  killed 
her,  and  Asagao  was  left  alone  to  tap  out  her  dark  journeys 
without  a  loving  hand  to  guide  her.  There  was  only 
one  thought  that  consoled  Asagao,  and  that  was  that  she 
might,  in  her  wanderings,  eventually  meet  her  lover. 

When  a  few  years  had  passed  by  it  chanced  that 
Komagawa,  accompanied  by  Iwashiro  Takita,  was  sent 
246 


THE  LOVE  OF  ASAGAO 

on  business  by  his  DaimyV.  While  on  their  journey 
they  happened  to  enter  a  certain  tea-house.  Iwashiro 
Takita  was  sullen  and  morose,  and  sat  in  gloomy  silence, 
not  deigning  to  notice  his  surroundings.  Komagawa, 
on  the  other  hand,  looked  about  him,  and  saw  on  a 
screen  the  very  poem  he  had  written  about  the  convol- 
vulus, the  poem  he  had  so  lovingly  inscribed  for  Asagao. 
While  pondering  the  matter  in  his  mind  the  master 
of  the  tea-house  entered  the  apartment.  Komagawa 
questioned  him  concerning  this  little  love-poem,  and 
the  master  of  the  tea-house  told  the  following  story : 

"  It  is  a  very  sad  story,"  said  he.  "  The  poem  was 
sung  by  a  poor  blind  lady.  She  ran  away  from  her 
home  because  she  could  not  marry  the  man  her  parents 
had  chosen  for  her.  She  was  unable  to  consent  to  the 
union  because  she  already  had  a  lover,  and  this  lover  she 
sought  up  and  down  the  country,  ever  singing  this  little 
poem  about  the  convolvulus,  in  the  hope  that  some  day 
she  might  have  the  good  fortune  to  meet  him.  Honour- 
able sir,  at  this  very  moment  she  is  in  my  tea-garden  !  " 

Komagawa  could  scarcely  conceal  his  joy  when  he 
requested  that  the  master  of  the  tea-house  would  bring 
in  the  blind  woman. 

In  another  moment  Asagao  stood  before  him.  He 
saw  in  her  delicate  face  an  added  beauty,  the  beauty  of 
a  hope,  of  a  love  kept  bright  and  clear  through  the  long, 
sorrowful  years  of  waiting. 

Asagao  touched  the  samisen.1    Very  gently  she  sang  : 

"  Down  fell  the  shower  of  silver  rain  and  wet  the  poor  Convolvulus, 
The  sweet  dew  on  the  leaves  and  flowers  being  taken  away  by  the 
jealous  sun." 

1  "  The  samisen,  or  '  three  strings,'  now  the  favourite  instrument 
of  the  singing-girls  and  of  the  lower  classes  generally,  seems  to  have 
been  introduced  from  Manila  as  recently  as  the  year  1700." — Things 
Japaneje,  by  B.  H.  Chamberlain. 

247 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Komagawa  listened  intently,  longing  to  speak,  longing 
to  reveal  his  love,  yet  keeping  silent  because  his  ill-bred 
companion  still  remained  in  the  room.  He  watched  her 
dark  eyes  fixed  upon  him,  but  they  were  without  ex- 
pression, for  they  could  not  see.  Still  the  samisen  tinkled, 
and  still  the  voice  sounded  sweet  and  low  and  un- 
speakably pathetic  in  the  apartment.  With  an  aching 
heart  and  without  a  word  of  love  he  dismissed  her  with 
the  usual  fee.  She  walked  out  of  the  room  as  if  conscious 
of  a  new,  acute  sorrow.  There  was  something  in  her 
patron's  voice  that  was  extremely  tender,  something  that 
moved  her  deeply,  and  it  made  her  heart  ache  and  yearn 
without  knowing  why. 

The  next  day  Komagawa  gave  the  master  of  the  tea- 
house a  fan,  saying  :  "  Give  this  fan  and  money  to 
Asagao.  She  will  understand."  With  these  words 
Komagawa  and  his  companion  proceeded  on  their 
journey. 

When  Asagao  had  received  the  fan  she  felt  it  eagerly 
with  her  small  white  fingers.  "  Who  has  given  me  this 
fan  and  money  ?  "  she  inquired.  "  Oh,  tell  me  what 
the  fan  is  like.  Has  it  a  drawing  of  a  convolvulus  ?" 

The  master  of  the  tea-house  looked  at  her  gently. 
"  He  to  whom  you  sang  last  night  gave  you  this  fan," 
said  he.  "  There  is  a  drawing  of  a  convolvulus  upon  it." 

Asagao  gave  a  cry  of  joy.  "  Last  night,"  she  said 
softly,  "  I  was  with  my  lover  again  !  And  now,  and 
now  .  .  ." 

At  this  very  moment  a  servant  from  Asagao's  old 
home  arrived,  asserting  that  he  had  been  sent  by  her 
parents  to  bring  her  back  again.  But  Asagao,  true  to 
her  old  love,  determined  to  fight  down  all  opposition. 

Now  it  happened  that  the  master  of  this  tea-house 
had  once  been  employed  by  Asagao's  father.  He  had 
committed  a  great  wrong  in  that  capacity,  a  wrong 
248 


THE  LOVE  OF  ASAGAO 

worthy  of  death  ;  but  Asagao's  father  had  taken  pity 
upon  him.  He  had  dismissed  him  with  money,  which 
had  enabled  the  wrongdoer  to  set  up  in  business  for 
himself.  During  this  crisis  the  master  of  the  tea-house 
thought  over  the  kindness  that  had  been  shown  him, 
and  resolved  to  commit  seppuku  in  order  that  his  old 
master's  child  might  receive  her  sight  again  by  means 
of  this  brave  man's  liver.1 

So  the  master  of  the  tea-house  killed  himself,  and 
Asagao  received  her  sight.  That  very  night,  though 
there  was  a  fierce  tempest  raging,  she  set  out  in  search 
of  her  lover,  accompanied  by  a  faithful  little  band  of 
servants.  All  night  the  maiden  journeyed  over  rough 
and  rugged  roads.  She  scarcely  noticed  the  heavy  rain 
or  her  bleeding  feet.  She  was  urged  on  by  a  joyous 
love,  by  the  fond  hope  of  finding  her  lover  again. 

As  she  climbed  a  mountain,  now  bathed  in  sunlight, 
she  fancied  she  heard  a  voice  calling  her  name.  She 
looked  about  her  and  discovered  Komagawa.  Peace 
came  to  her  then.  All  the  weariness  of  long  search  and 
almost  endless  waiting  were  over  for  ever,  and  in  a  little 
while  the  lovers  were  married.  The  convolvulus,  or 
morning  glory,  is  a  flower  that  only  blooms  for  a  few 
hours  ;  but  Asagao's  love  had  the  beauty  of  the  con- 
volvulus combined  with  the  strength  and  long  life  of 
the  pine.  In  their  happy  union  they  had  remained  true 
to  the  pledge  of  love  upon  their  fans,  and  out  of  blind- 
ness and  much  suffering  Asagao  could  hold  up  her  fair 
head  to  the  dew  and  sunshine  of  her  lover's  sheltering 
arms. 

1  The    liver,  both  of  man  and  animal,  was  supposed  to   have 

remarkable  medicinal  properties.     It  frequently  occurs  in  Japanese 

legends,  but  the  idea  was  probably  borrowed  from  the  strangest 
pharmacopoeia  in  the  world,  that  of  the  Chinese. 


249 


CHAPTER  XXI :  THUNDER 

"  The  earth  is  full  of  saltpetre  and  sulphur,  which  rise 
in  the  form  of  mist,  and,  uniting  in  the  sky,  become  a 
vapour  that  possesses  the  properties  of  gunpowder.  When 
this  nears  the  intense  heat  of  the  sun  it  explodes,  like  a 
natural  gas  ;  and  the  terrible  sound  is  heard  by  all  the 
world.  The  shock,  striking  animals  and  birds  wandering 
in  the  clouds,  hurls  them  to  the  ground.  Therefore 
thunder,  and  lightning,  and  the  creatures  that  tumble 
from  the  clouds  during  a  storm,  are  not  one  and  the  same 
thing." 

"  Shin-rai-ki  "  (Record  of  Thunder). 

Raiden 

""^HERE  are  many  quaint  legends  in  regard  to 
thunder,  and  in  Bakin's  Kumono  Tayema  Ama 
A  To  No  Tsuki x  ("  The  Moon,  shining  through  a 
Cloud-rift,  on  a  Rainy  Night")  the  famous  Japanese 
novelist,  who  is  an  ardent  believer  in  many  of  the 
superstitions  of  his  country,  has  much  to  say  in  regard 
to  Raiden,  the  God  of  Thunder,  and  the  supernatural 
beings  associated  with  him.  Raiden  is  usually  depicted 
as  having  red  skin,  the  face  of  a  demon,  with  two  claws 
on  each  foot,  and  carrying  on  his  back  a  great  wheel  or 
arc  of  drums.  He  is  often  found  in  company  with  Fugin, 
or  with  his  son,  Raitaro.  When  the  Mongols  attempted 
to  invade  Japan  they  were  prevented  from  doing  so  by 
a  great  storm,  and,  according  to  legend,  only  three  men 
escaped  to  tell  the  tale.  Raiden's  assistance  in  favour  of 
Japan  is  often  portrayed  in  Japanese  art.  He  is  de- 
picted sitting  on  the  clouds  emitting  lightning,  and 
sending  forth  a  shower  of  arrows  upon  the  invaders. 
In  China  the  Thunder  God  is  regarded  as  a  being  ever 
on  the  look-out  for  wicked  people.  When  he  finds 

1  See  translation,  entitled  A  Captive  of  Love,  by  Edward  Greey. 
250 


THUNDER  BIRD  AND  THUNDER  WOMAN 

them,  the  Goddess  of  Lightning  flashes  a  mirror  upon 
those  whom  the  God  wishes  to  strike. 

The  Thunder  Animal 

Raiju,  or  Thunder  Animal,  appears  to  be  more 
closely  associated  with  lightning  than  with  thunder. 
He  is  seen  in  forms  resembling  a  weasel,  badger,  or 
monkey.  In  the  Shin-rai-ki  ("  Thunder  Record  ")  we 
read  the  following  :  "  On  the  twenty-second  day  of  the 
sixth  month  of  the  second  year  of  Meiwa  [July  1766] 
a  Thunder  Animal  fell  at  Oyama  [Great  Mountain],  in 
the  province  of  Sagami.  It  was  captured  by  a  farmer, 
who  brought  it  to  Yedo,  and  exhibited  it  for  money  on 
the  Riyo-goku  Bridge.  The  creature  was  a  little  larger 
than  a  cat,  and  resembled  a  weasel :  it  had  black  hair, 
and  five  claws  on  each  paw.  During  fine  weather  it 
was  very  tame  and  gentle  ;  but,  before  and  during  a 
storm,  exceedingly  savage  and  unmanageable."  In 
China  the  Thunder  Animal  is  described  as  having 
"  the  head  of  a  monkey,  with  crimson  lips,  eyes  like 
mirrors,  and  two  sharp  claws  on  each  paw."  During  a 
storm  the  Thunder  Animal  of  Japan  springs  from  tree 
to  tree,  and  if  any  of  the  trees  are  found  to  have  been 
struck  by  lightning  it  is  believed  to  be  the  savage 
work  of  the  Thunder  Animal's  claws.  This  being,  in 
common  with  the  Thunder  God  himself,  is  said  to  have 
a  weakness  for  human  navels,  so  that  for  this  reason 
many  superstitious  people  endeavour,  if  possible,  to  lie 
flat  on  their  stomachs  during  a  thunderstorm.  Bark 
torn  by  the  Thunder  Animal  is  carefully  preserved,  and 
is  supposed  to  be  an  excellent  remedy  for  toothache. 

The  Thunder  Bird  and  Thunder  Woman 

Raicho,  Thunder  Bird,  resembles  a  rook,  but  it  has 
spurs  of  flesh,  which,  when  struck  together,  produce  a 

251 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

horrible  sound.     This  is  the  bird  to  which  the  Emperor 
of  Goto-bain  referred  in  the  following  poem : 

"  In  the  shadow  of  the  pine-tree  of  Shiro-yama 
Thunder-birds  rest,  and  spend  the  night," 

These  birds  feed  upon  the  tree-frog  named  rai 
(thunder),  and  are  always  seen  flying  about  in  the  sky 
during  a  thunderstorm. 

Little  is  known  concerning  Kaminari  (Thunder 
Woman),  except  that  on  one  occasion  she  is  said  to  have 
appeared  in  the  guise  of  a  Chinese  Empress. 

A  Strange  Belief 

Bakin  remarks  that  those  who  are  afraid  of  thunder 
have  the  In,  or  female  principle,  predominating,  while 
those  who  are  not  afraid  have  the  70,  or  the  male 
principle,  in  the  ascendency.  The  same  writer  gives  the 
following  custom  in  regard  to  those  who  have  suffered 
as  the  result  of  a  thunderstorm,  and  we  must  note  that 
emphasis  is  laid  upon  thunder  as  the  destructive  power — 
noise  rather  than  light  :  "  When  any  one  is  struck  by 
thunder  make  him  lie  upon  his  back,  and  place  a  live 
carp  in  his  bosom.  If  the  carp  jumps  and  moves  the 
patient  will  recover.  This  is  infallible.  When  thunder 
scorches  the  flesh  burn  Ko  (incense)  under  the  sufferer's 
nose.  This  will  cause  him  to  cough,  and  break  the  spell 
of  the  Thunder  God." 

The  Child  of  the  Thunder  God 

Most  of  the  legends  relating  to  Raiden  and  his 
kindred  spirits  are  of  a  malevolent  nature  ;  but  in  the 
following  story  we  learn  that  the  Thunder  God's  child 
brought  considerable  prosperity. 

Near  Mount  Hakuzan  there  once  lived  a  very  poor 
farmer  named  Bimbo.  His  plot  of  land  was  extremely 
small,  and  though  he  worked  upon  it  from  dawn  till  sun- 
252 


THE  CHILD  OF  THE  THUNDER  GOD 

set  he  had  great  difficulty  in  growing  sufficient  rice  for 
himself  and  his  wife. 

One  day,  after  a  protracted  drought,  Bimbo  dismally 
surveyed  his  dried-up  rice  sprouts.  As  he  thus  stood  fear- 
ing starvation  in  the  near  future,  rain  suddenly  descended, 
accompanied  by  loud  claps  of  thunder.  Just  as  Bimbo 
was  about  to  take  shelter  from  the  storm  he  was  nearly 
blinded  by  a  vivid  flash  of  lightning,  and  he  prayed  fer- 
vently to  Buddha  for  protection.  When  he  had  done  so 
he  looked  about  him,  and  to  his  amazement  saw  a  little 
baby  boy  laughing  and  crooning  as  he  lay  in  the  grass. 

Bimbo  took  the  infant  in  his  arms,  and  gently  carried 
him  to  his  humble  dwelling,  where  his  wife  greeted  him 
with  surprise  and  pleasure.  The  child  was  called 
Raitaro,  the  Child  of  Thunder,  and  lived  with  his  foster- 
parents  a  happy  and  dutiful  boy.  He  never  played  with 
other  children,  for  he  loved  to  roam  in  the  fields,  to 
watch  the  stream  and  the  swift  flight  of  clouds  overhead. 

With  the  coming  of  Raitaro  there  came  prosperity  to 
Bimbo,  for  Raitaro  could  beckon  to  clouds  and  bid  them 
throw  down  their  rain-drops  only  on  his  foster-father's 
field. 

When  Raitaro  had  grown  into  a  handsome  youth  of 
eighteen  he  once  again  thanked  Bimbo  and  his  wife  for 
all  they  had  done  for  him,  and  told  them  that  he  must 
now  bid  farewell  to  his  benefactors. 

Almost  before  the  youth  had  finished  speaking,  he 
suddenly  turned  into  a  small  white  dragon,  lingered  a 
moment,  and  then  flew  away. 

The  old  couple  ran  to  the  door.  As  the  white  dragon 
ascended  into  the  sky  it  grew  bigger  and  bigger,  till  it 
was  hidden  behind  a  great  cloud. 

When  Bimbo  and  his  wife  died  a  white  dragon  was 
carved  upon  their  tomb  in  memory  of  Raitaro,  the  Child 
of  Thunder. 

253 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Shokuro  and  the  Thunder  God 

Shokuro,  in  order  to  stand  well  with  TorQ,  the  magis- 
trate of  his  district,  promised  him  that  he  would  catch 
the  Thunder  God.  "If,"  said  Shokuro,  "I  were  to  tie 
a  human  navel  to  the  end  of  a  kite,  and  fly  it  during  a 
stormy  day,  I  should  be  sure  to  catch  Raiden,  for  the 
Thunder  God  would  not  be  able  to  resist  such  a  repast. 
The  most  difficult  part  of  the  whole  business  is  to  secure 
the  meal." 

With  this  scheme  in  view  Shokuro  set  out  upon  a 
journey  in  quest  of  food  for  the  Thunder  God.  On 
reaching  a  wood  he  chanced  to  see  a  beautiful  woman 
named  Chiyo.  The  ambitious  Shokuro,  without  the  least 
compunction,  killed  the  maid,  and,  having  secured  his 
object,  flung  her  corpse  into  a  deep  ditch.  He  then 
proceeded  on  his  way  with  a  light  heart. 

Raiden,  while  sitting  on  a  cloud,  happened  to  notice 
the  woman's  body  lying  in  a  ditch.  He  descended 
quickly,  and,  being  fascinated  by  the  beauty  of  Chiyo,  he 
took  from  his  mouth  a  navel,  restored  her  to  life,  and 
together  they  flew  away  into  the  sky. 

Some  days  later  Shokuro  was  out  hunting  for  the 
Thunder  God,  his  kite,  with  its  gruesome  relic,  soaring 
high  over  the  trees  as  it  flew  hither  and  thither  in  a 
strong  wind.  Chiyo  saw  the  kite,  and  descended  nearer 
and  nearer  to  the  earth.  At  last  she  held  it  in  her  hands 
and  saw  what  was  attached.  Filled  with  indignation, 
she  looked  down  in  order  to  see  who  was  flying  the 
kite,  and  was  much  astonished  to  recognise  her  mur- 
derer. At  this  juncture  Raiden  descended  in  a  rage, 
only  to  receive  severe  chastisement  at  the  hands  of 
Shokuro,  who  then  made  his  peace  with  Chiyo,  and 
afterwards  became  a  famous  man  in  the  village.  Truly 
an  astonishing  story ! 
254 


CHAPTER  XXII :  ANIMAL  LEGENDS 

Magical  Animals 

MANY  of  the  following  stones  are  the  tales  a 
Japanese  mother  narrates  to  her  child,  for 
animal  stories  make  a  universal  appeal  to  the 
child-mind.  They  are  generally  regarded  as  fairy  stories, 
but  they  contain  so  much  legendary  material  that  it  is 
necessary  to  include  them  in  a  book  of  this  kind,  for 
they  tend  to  illustrate  our  subject  in  a  lighter  vein,  where 
the  miraculous  is  mingled  with  the  humorous.  We 
have  devoted  a  separate  chapter  to  fox  legends  on 
account  of  the  importance  of  the  subject,  but  it  must  be 
borne  in  mind  that  the  supernatural  characteristics  of 
this  animal  apply  also  to  the  badger  and  cat,  for  in 
Japanese  legend  all  three  animals  have  been  associated 
with  an  incalculable  amount  of  mischief. 

The  Hare 

The  hare  is  supposed  to  attain,  like  the  fox,  tortoise, 
crane,  and  tiger,  a  fabulous  age,  extending  to  no  less 
than  a  thousand  years.  In  Taoist  legends  the  hare  is 
said  to  live  in  the  moon,  and  is  occupied  in  pounding, 
with  pestle  and  mortar,  the  drugs  that  compose  the 
Elixir  of  Life,  while  in  other  legends,  as  we  have  seen 
elsewhere,  this  animal  is  represented  as  pounding  rice. 
Shaka  Muni  (the  Lord  Buddha),  according  to  legend,  is 
said  to  have  sacrificed  himself  as  a  hare  in  order  that  he 
might  appease  the  hunger  of  Indra,  who  drew  the  animal 
upon  the  moon  by  way  of  showing  his  admiration.  The 
fur  of  the  hare  becomes  white  when  it  has  lived  for  five 
hundred  years,  and  we  give  below  the  famous  legend 
from  the  Kojiki  known  as  "  The  White  Hare  of 
Inaba." 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

The  White  Hare  of  Inaba 

In  ancient  days  there  were  eighty-one  brothers,  who 
were  Princes  in  Japan.  With  the  exception  of  one 
brother  they  were  quarrelsome  fellows,  and  spent  their 
time  in  showing  all  manner  of  petty  jealousy,  one 
toward  the  other.  Each  wanted  to  reign  over  the  whole 
kingdom,  and,  in  addition,  each  had  the  misfortune  to 
wish  to  marry  the  Princess  of  Yakami,  in  Inaba.  Al- 
though these  eighty  Princes  were  at  variance  in  most 
things,  they  were  at  one  in  persistently  hating  the 
brother  who  was  gentle  and  peaceful  in  all  his  ways. 

At  length,  after  many  angry  words,  the  eighty  brothers 
decided  to  go  to  Inaba  in  order  to  visit  the  Princess  of 
Yakami,  each  brother  fully  resolved  that  he  and  he  alone 
should  be  the  successful  suitor.  The  kind  and  gentle 
brother  accompanied  them,  not,  indeed,  as  a  wooer  of 
the  fair  Princess,  but  as  a  servant  who  carried  a  large 
and  heavy  bag  upon  his  back. 

At  last  the  eighty  Princes,  who  had  left  their  much- 
wronged  brother  far  behind,  arrived  at  Cape  Keta. 
They  were  about  to  continue  their  journey  when  they 
saw  a  white  hare  lying  on  the  ground  looking  very 
miserable  and  entirely  divested  of  fur. 

The  eighty  Princes,  who  were  much  amused  by  the 
sorry  plight  of  the  hare,  said  :  "If  you  want  your  fur 
to  grow  again,  bathe  in  the  sea,  and,  when  you  have 
done  so,  run  to  the  summit  of  a  high  mountain  and 
allow  the  wind  to  blow  upon  you."  With  these  words 
the  eighty  heartless  Princes  proceeded  on  their  way. 

The  hare  at  once  went  down  to  the  sea,  delighted  at 
the  prospect  of  regaining  his  handsome  white  fur.  Hav- 
ing bathed,  he  ran  up  to  the  top  of  a  mountain  and  lay 
down  upon  it ;  but  he  quickly  perceived  that  the  cold 
wind  blowing  on  a  skin  recently  immersed  in  salt  water 
256 


THE  WHITE  HARE  OF  INABA 

was  beginning  to  crack  and  split.  In  addition  to  the 
humiliation  of  having  no  fur  he  now  suffered  consider- 
able physical  pain,  and  he  realised  that  the  eighty 
Princes  had  shamefully  deceived  him. 

While  the  hare  was  lying  in  pain  upon  the  mountain 
the  kind  and  gentle  brother  approached,  slowly  and 
laboriously,  owing  to  the  heavy  bag  he  carried.  When 
he  saw  the  weeping  hare  he  inquired  how  it  was  that 
the  poor  animal  had  met  with  such  a  misfortune. 

"Please  stop  a  moment,"  said  the  hare,  "and  I  will 
tell  you  how  it  all  happened.  I  wanted  to  cross  from 
the  Island  of  Oki  to  Cape  Keta,  so  1  said  to  the  croco- 
diles :  c  I  should  very  much  like  to  know  how  many 
crocodiles  there  are  in  the  sea,  and  how  many  hares  on 
land.  Allow  me  first  of  all  to  count  you/  And  hav- 
ing said  these  words  the  crocodiles  formed  themselves 
into  a  long  line,  stretching  from  the  Island  of  Oki  to 
Cape  Keta.  I  ran  across  their  horny  bodies,  counting 
each  as  I  passed.  When  I  reached  the  last  crocodile, 
I  said  :  c  O  foolish  crocodiles,  it  doesn't  matter  to  me 
how  many  there  are  of  you  in  the  sea,  or  how  many 
hares  on  land  !  I  only  wanted  you  for  a  bridge  in  order 
that  I  might  reach  my  destination.'  Alas  !  my  miserable 
boast  cost  me  dear,  for  the  last  crocodile  raised  his  head 
and  snapped  off  all  my  fur  !  " 

"Well,"  said  the  gentle  brother,  "I  must  say  you 
were  in  the  wrong  and  deserved  to  suffer  for  your 
folly.  Is  that  the  end  of  your  story  ?  " 

"  No,"  continued  the  hare.  "I  had  no  sooner  suffered 
this  indignity  than  the  eighty  Princes  came  by,  and 
lyingly  told  me  that  I  might  be  cured  by  salt  water  and 
wind.  Alas  !  not  knowing  that  they  deceived  me,  I 
carried  out  their  instructions,  with  the  result  that  my 
body  is  cracked  and  extremely  sore." 

"Bathe  in  fresh  water,  my  poor  friend,"  said  the 

R  257 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

good  brother,  "  and  when  you  have  done  so  scatter  the 
pollen  of  sedges  upon  the  ground  and  roll  yourself  in 
it.  This  will  indeed  heal  your  sores  and  cause  your 
fur  to  grow  again. " 

The  hare  walked  slowly  to  the  river,  bathed  himself, 
and  then  rolled  about  in  sedge  pollen.  He  had  no 
sooner  done  so  than  his  skin  healed  and  he  was  covered 
once  more  with  a  thick  coat  of  fur. 

The  grateful  hare  ran  back  to  his  benefactor.  "Those 
eighty  wicked  and  cruel  brothers  of  yours,"  said  he, 
"  shall  never  win  the  Princess  of  Inaba.  It  is  you  who 
shall  marry  her  and  reign  over  the  country." 

The  hare's  prophecy  came  true,  for  the  eighty  Princes 
failed  in  their  mission,  while  the  brother  who  was  good 
and  kind  to  the  white  hare  married  the  fair  Princess 
and  became  King  of  the  country. 

The  Crackling  Mountain 

An  old  man  and  his  wife  kept  a  white  hare.  One 
day  a  badger  came  and  ate  the  food  provided  for  the 
pet.  The  mischievous  animal  was  about  to  scamper 
away  when  the  old  man,  seeing  what  had  taken  place, 
tied  the  badger  to  a  tree,  and  then  went  to  a  neigh- 
bouring mountain  to  cut  wood. 

When  the  old  man  had  gone  on  his  journey  the 
badger  began  to  weep  and  to  beg  that  the  old  woman 
would  untie  the  rope.  She  had  no  sooner  done  so  than 
the  badger  proclaimed  vengeance  and  ran  away. 

When  the  good  white  hare  heard  what  had  taken 
place  he  set  out  to  warn  his  master  ;  but  during  his 
absence  the  badger  returned,  killed  the  old  woman, 
assumed  her  form,  and  converted  her  corpse  into 
broth. 

"  I  have  made  such  excellent  broth,"  said  the  badger, 
when  the  old  man  returned  from  the  mountain.  "You 
258 


THE  CRACKLING  MOUNTAIN 

must  be  hungry  and  tired  :  pray  sit  down  and  make  a 
good  meal !  " 

The  old  man,  not  suspecting  treachery  of  any  kind, 
consumed  the  broth  and  pronounced  it  excellent. 

"  Excellent  ? "  sneered  the  badger.  "  You  have 
eaten  your  wife !  Her  bones  lie  over  there  in  that 
corner,"  and  with  these  words  he  disappeared. 

While  the  old  man  was  overcome  with  sorrow,  and 
while  he  wept  and  bewailed  his  fate,  the  hare  returned, 
grasped  the  situation,  and  scampered  off  to  the  moun- 
tain fully  resolved  to  avenge  the  death  of  his  poor  old 
mistress. 

When  the  hare  reached  the  mountain  he  saw  the 
badger  carrying  a  bundle  of  sticks  on  his  back.  Softly 
the  hare  crept  up,  and,  unobserved,  set  light  to  the 
sticks,  which  began  to  crackle  immediately. 

"  This  is  a  strange  noise,"  said  the  badger.  "  What 
is  it?" 

"The  Crackling  Mountain,"  replied  the  hare. 

The  fire  began  to  burn  the  badger,  so  he  sprang  into 
a  river  and  extinguished  the  flames  ;  but  on  getting  out 
again  he  found  that  his  back  was  severely  burnt,  and 
the  pain  he  suffered  was  increased  by  a  cayenne  poultice 
which  the  delighted  hare  provided  for  that  purpose. 

When  the  badger  was  well  again  he  chanced  to  see 
the  hare  standing  by  a  boat  he  had  made. 

"Where  are  you  going  in  that  vessel  ?"  inquired  the 
badger. 

"To  the  moon,"  replied  the  hare.  "Perhaps  you 
would  like  to  come  with  me  ? " 

"Not  in  your  boat!"  said  the  badger.  "I  know 
too  well  your  tricks  on  the  Crackling  Mountain.  But  I 
will  build  a  boat  of  clay  for  myself,  and  we  will  journey 
to  the  moon." 

Down  the  river  went  the  wooden  boat  of  the  hare 

259 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

and  the  clay  boat  of  the  badger.  Presently  the  badger's 
vessel  began  to  come  to  pieces.  The  hare  laughed 
derisively,  and  killed  his  enemy  with  his  oar.  Later 
on,  when  the  loyal  animal  returned  to  the  old  man,  he 
justly  received  much  praise  and  loving  care  from  his 
grateful  master. 

The  Badger 

The  badger  in  legend  has  much  in  common  with  the 
fox.  It  can  adopt  human  form  and  assume  the  shape 
of  the  moon  ;  but  in  many  legends  it  is  described  as  a 
humorous  creature,  an  animal  intensely  fond  of  a 
practical  joke.  The  badger  is  frequently  depicted  in 
legend  and  art  as  playing  a  tattoo  on  its  protuberant 
and  drum-like  stomach,  and  it  is  for  this  reason  that 
Japanese  jesters  are  sometimes  called  badgers. 

Kadzutoyo  and  the  Badger 

On  one  occasion  Kadzutoyo  and  his  retainer  went 
fishing.  They  had  had  excellent  sport,  and  were  about 
to  return  home,  when  a  violent  shower  came  on,  and 
they  were  forced  to  take  shelter  under  a  willow-tree. 
After  waiting  for  some  time  the  rain  showed  no  sign 
of  abating,  and  as  it  was  already  growing  dark  they 
decided  to  continue  their  journey  in  spite  of  the  in- 
clement weather.  They  had  not  proceeded  far  when 
they  perceived  a  young  girl  weeping  bitterly.  Kadzu- 
toyo regarded  her  with  suspicion,  but  his  retainer  was 
charmed  by  the  maiden's  great  beauty,  and  inquired 
who  she  was  and  why  she  lingered  on  such  a  stormy 
night. 

"Alas!  good  sir,"  said  the  maiden,  still  weeping, 
"  my  tale  is  a  sad  one.  I  have  long  endured  the  taunts 
and  cruelties  of  my  wicked  stepmother,  who  hates  me. 
To-night  she  spat  upon  me  and  beat  me.  I  could  bear 
260 


KADZUTOYO  AND  THE  BADGER 

the  bitter  humiliation  no  longer,  and  I  was  on  the  way 
to  my  aunt,  who  lives  in  yonder  village,  there  to  receive 
peace  and  shelter,  when  I  was  stricken  down  with  a 
strange  malady,  and  compelled  to  remain  here  until  the 
pain  subsided. " 

These  words  much  affected  the  kind-hearted  retainer, 
and  he  fell  desperately  in  love  with  this  fair  maiden  ; 
but  Kadzutoyo,  after  carefully  considering  the  matter, 
drew  his  sword  and  cut  off  her  head. 

"  Oh  I  my  lord,"  said  the  retainer,  "  what  awful  deed 
is  this  ?  How  can  you  kill  a  harmless  girl  ?  Believe 
me,  you  will  have  to  pay  for  your  folly." 

"  You  do  not  understand,"  replied  Kadzutoyo,  "  but 
all  I  ask  is  that  you  keep  silence  in  the  matter." 

When  they  reached  home  Kadzutoyo  soon  fell  asleep  ; 
but  his  retainer,  after  brooding  over  the  murder  of  the 
fair  maiden,  went  to  his  lord's  parents  and  told  them 
the  whole  pitiful  story. 

Kadzutoyo's  father  was  stricken  with  anger  when  he 
heard  the  dreadful  tale.  He  at  once  went  to  his  son's 
room,  roused  him,  and  said  :  "  Oh,  miserable  murderer  ! 
How  could  you  slay  an  innocent  girl  without  the  least 
provocation  ?  You  have  shamed  the  honourable  name 
of  samurai,  a  name  that  stands  for  true  chivalry  and 
for  the  defence  of  the  weak  and  helpless.  You  have 
brought  dishonour  upon  our  house,  and  it  is  my  duty 
to  take  your  life."  Having  said  these  words,  he  drew 
his  sword. 

"  Sir,"  replied  Kadzutoyo,  without  flinching  at  the 
shining  weapon,  "  you,  like  my  retainer,  do  not  under- 
stand. It  has  been  given  me  to  solve  certain  mysteries, 
and  with  that  knowledge  I  assure  you  that  I  have  not 
been  guilty  of  so  foul  a  crime  as  you  suppose,  but  have 
been  loyal  to  the  fair  calling  of  a  samurai.  The  girl  I 
cut  down  with  my  sword  was  no  mortal.  Be  pleased 

261 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

to  go  to-morrow  with  your  retainers  to  the  spot  where 
this  scene  occurred.  If  you  find  the  corpse  of  a  girl 
you  will  have  no  need  to  take  my  life,  for  I  will 
disembowel  myself." 

Early  next  day,  when  the  sun  had  scarce  risen  in  the 
sky,  Kadzutoyo' s  father,  together  with  his  retainers,  set 
out  upon  the  journey.  When  they  reached  the  place 
where  the  tragedy  had  taken  place  the  father  saw  lying 
by  the  roadside,  not  the  corpse  of  a  fair  maiden  as  he 
had  feared,  but  the  body  of  a  great  headless  badger. 

When  the  father  reached  home  again  he  questioned 
his  son:  "How  is  it,"  said  he,  "that  what  appeared 
to  be  a  girl  to  your  retainer  seemed  to  you  to  be  a 
badger?" 

"  Sir,"  replied  Kadzutoyo,  "  the  creature  1  saw  last 
night  appeared  to  me  as  a  girl  ;  but  her  beauty  was 
strange,  and  not  like  the  beauty  of  earthly  women. 
Moreover,  although  it  was  raining  hard,  I  observed 
that  the  garments  of  this  being  did  not  get  wet,  and 
having  noticed  this  weird  occurrence,  I  knew  at  once 
that  the  woman  was  none  other  than  some  wicked 
goblin.  The  creature  took  the  form  of  a  lovely  maiden 
with  the  idea  of  bewitching  us  with  her  many  charms, 
in  the  hope  that  she  might  get  our  fish." 

The  old  Prince  was  filled  with  admiration  for  his 
son's  cleverness.  Having  discovered  so  much  foresight 
and  prudence,  he  resolved  to  abdicate,  and  proclaim 
Kadzutoyo  Prince  of  Tosa  in  his  stead. 

The  Miraculous  Tea-kettle 

One  day  a  priest  of  the  Morinji  temple  put  his  old 
tea-kettle  on  the  fire  in  order  that  he  might  make  him- 
self a  cup  of  tea.  No  sooner  had  the  kettle  touched 
the  fire  than  it  suddenly  changed  into  the  head,  tail, 
and  legs  of  a  badger.  The  novices  of  the  temple  were 
262 


THE  MIRACULOUS  TEA-KETTLE 

called  in  to  see  the  extraordinary  sight.  While  they 
gazed  in  utter  astonishment,  the  badger,  with  the  body 
of  a  kettle,  rushed  nimbly  about  the  room,  and  finally 
flew  into  the  air:  Round  and  round  the  room  went  the 
merry  badger,  and  the  priests,  after  many  efforts,  suc- 
ceeded in  capturing  the  animal  and  thrusting  it  into  a 
box. 

Shortly  after  this  event  had  taken  place  a  tinker 
called  at  the  temple,  and  the  priest  thought  it  would  be 
an  excellent  idea  if  he  could  induce  the  good  man  to 
buy  his  extraordinary  tea-kettle.  He  therefore  took 
the  kettle  out  of  its  box,  for  it  had  now  resumed  its 
ordinary  form,  and  commenced  to  bargain,  with  the 
result  that  the  unsuspecting  tinker  purchased  the  kettle, 
and  took  it  away  with  him,  assured  that  he  had  done  a 
good  day's  work  in  buying  such  a  useful  article  at  so 
reasonable  a  price. 

That  night  the  tinker  was  awakened  by  hearing  a 
curious  sound  close  to  his  pillow.  He  looked  out 
from  behind  his  quilts  and  saw  that  the  kettle  he 
had  purchased  was  not  a  kettle  at  all,  but  a  very  lively 
and  clever  badger: 

When  the  tinker  told  his  friends  about  his  remarkable 
companion,  they  said  :  "  You  are  a  fortunate  fellow, 
and  we  advise  you  to  take  this  badger  on  show,  for  it  is 
clever  enough  to  dance  and  walk  on  the  tight-rope. 
With  song  and  music  you  certainly  have  in  this  very 
strange  creature  a  series  of  novel  entertainments  which 
will  attract  considerable  notice,  and  bring  you  far  more 
money  than  you  would  earn  by  all  the  tinkering  in  the 
world." 

The  tinker  accordingly  acted  upon  this  excellent 
advice,  and  the  fame  of  his  performing  badger  spread 
far  and  wide.  Princes  and  princesses  came  to  see  the 
show,  and  from  royal  patronage  and  the  delight  of  the 

263 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

common  people  he  amassed  a  great  fortune.  When 
the  tinker  had  made  his  money  he  restored  the  kettle 
to  the  Morinji  temple,  where  it  was  worshipped  as  a 
precious  treasure. 

The  Cat 

"  Feed  a  dog  for  three  days  and  he  will  remember  your 
kindness  for  three  years ;  feed  a  cat  for  three  years  and  she 
will  forget  your  kindness  in  three  days." 

A  Japanese  Proverb. 

The  Japanese  cat,  with  or  without  a  tail,  is  very  far 
from  being  popular,  for  this  animal  and  the  venomous 
serpent  were  the  only  two  creatures  that  did  not  weep 
when  the  Lord  Buddha  died.  Nipponese  cats  seem  to 
be  under  a  curse,  and  for  the  most  part  they  are  left 
to  their  own  resources,  resources  frequently  associated 
with  supernatural  powers.  Like  foxes  and  badgers, 
they  are  able  to  bewitch  human  beings.  Professor 
B.  H.  Chamberlain  writes  in  Things  Japanese  :  "  Among 
Europeans  an  irreverent  person  may  somtimes  be  heard 
to  describe  an  ugly,  cross  old  woman  as  a  cat.  In 
Japan,  the  land  of  topsy-turvydom,  that  nickname  is 
colloquially  applied  to  the  youngest  and  most  attractive 
— the  singing-girls. "  The  comparison  seems  strange  to 
us,  but  the  allusion  no  doubt  refers  to  the  power  of 
witchery  common  alike  to  the  singing-girl  and  the  cat. 

The  Japanese  cat,  however,  is  regarded  with  favour 
among  sailors,  and  the  mike-neko,  or  cat  of  three  colours, 
is  most  highly  prized.  Sailors  the  world  over  are 
said  to  be  superstitious,  and  those  of  Japan  do  their 
utmost  to  secure  a  ship's  cat,  in  the  belief  that  this 
animal  will  keep  off  the  spirits  of  the  deep.  Many 
sailors  believe  that  those  who  are  drowned  at  sea  never 
find  spiritual  repose  ;  they  believe  that  they  everlastingly 
lurk  in  the  waves  and  shout  and  wail  as  junks  pass  by. 
264 


THE  VAMPIRE  CAT 

To  such  men  the  breakers  beating  on  the  seashore  are 
the  white,  grasping  hands  of  innumerable  spirits,  and 
they  believe  that  the  sea  is  crowded  with  O-bakt, 
honourable  ghosts.  The  Japanese  cat  is  said  to  have 
control  over  the  dead. 

The  Vampire  Cat 

The  Prince  of  Hizen,  a  distinguished  member  of  the 
Nabeshima  family,  lingered  in  the  garden  with  O  Toyo, 
the  favourite  among  his  ladies.  When  the  sun  set  they 
retired  to  the  palace,  but  failed  to  notice  that  they  were 
being  followed  by  a  large  cat. 

O  Toyo  went  to  her  room  and  fell  asleep.  At  mid- 
night she  awoke  and  gazed  about  her,  as  if  suddenly 
aware  of  some  dreadful  presence  in  the  apartment.  At 
length  she  saw,  crouching  close  beside  her,  a  gigantic 
cat,  and  before  she  could  cry  out  for  assistance  the 
animal  sprang  upon  her  and  strangled  her.  The  animal 
then  made  a  hole  under  the  verandah,  buried  the  corpse, 
and  assumed  the  form  of  the  beautiful  O  Toyo. 

The  Prince,  who  knew  nothing  of  what  had  happened, 
continued  to  love  the  false  O  Toyo,  unaware  that  in 
reality  he  was  caressing  a  foul  beast.  He  noticed,  little 
by  little,  that  his  strength  failed,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  he  became  dangerously  ill.  Physicians  were 
summoned,  but  they  could  do  nothing  to  restore  the 
royal  patient.  It  was  observed  that  he  suffered  most 
during  the  night,  and  was  troubled  by  horrible  dreams. 
This  being  so  his  councillors  arranged  that  a  hundred 
retainers  should  sit  with  their  lord  and  keep  watch 
while  he  slept. 

The  watch  went  into  the  sick-room,  but  just  before 
ten  o'clock  it  was  overcome  by  a  mysterious  drowsi- 
ness. When  all  the  men  were  asleep  the  false  O  Toyo 
crept  into  the  apartment  and  disturbed  the  Prince  until 

265 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

sunrise.  Night  after  night  the  retainers  came  to  guard 
their  master,  but'  always  they  fell  asleep  at  the  same 
hour,  and  even  three  loyal  councillors  had  a  similar 
experience. 

During  this  time  the  Prince  grew  worse,  and  at  length 
a  priest  named  Ruiten  was  appointed  to  pray  on  his 
behalf.  One  night,  while  he  was  engaged  in  his  suppli- 
cations, he  heard  a  strange  noise  proceeding  from  the 
garden.  On  looking  out  of  the  window  he  saw  a  young 
soldier  washing  himself.  When  he  had  finished  his  ab- 
lutions he  stood  before  an  image  of  Buddha,  and  prayed 
most  ardently  for  the  recovery  of  the  Prince. 

Ruiten,  delighted  to  find  such  zeal  and  loyalty,  invited 
the  young  man  to  enter  his  house,  and  when  he  had 
done  so  inquired  his  name. 

"  I  am  Ito  Soda,"  said  the  young  man,  "  and  serve  in 
the  infantry  of  Nab6shima.  I  have  heard  of  my  lord's 
sickness  and  long  to  have  the  honour  of  nursing  him ; 
but  being  of  low  rank  it  is  not  meet  that  I  should 
come  into  his  presence.  I  have,  nevertheless,  prayed 
to  the  Buddha  that  my  lord's  life  may  be  spared.  I 
believe  that  the  Prince  of  Hizen  is  bewitched,  and  if  I 
might  remain  with  him  I  would  do  my  utmost  to  find 
and  crush  the  evil  power  that  is  the  cause  of  his  illness." 

Ruiten  was  so  favourably  impressed  with  these  words 
that  he  went  the  next  day  to  consult  with  one  of  the 
councillors,  and  after  much  discussion  it  was  arranged 
that  Ito  Soda  should  keep  watch  with  the  hundred 
retainers. 

When  Ito  Soda  entered  the  royal  apartment  he  saw 
that  his  master  slept  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  and 
he  also  observed  the  hundred  retainers  sitting  in  the 
chamber  quietly  chatting  together  in  the  hope  that  they 
would  be  able  to  keep  off  approaching  drowsiness.  By 
ten  o'clock  all  the  retainers,  in  spite  of  their  efforts,  had 
266 


THE  VAMPIRE  CAT 

fallen  asleep.  Ito  Soda  tried  to  keep  his  eyes  open,  but 
a  heaviness  was  gradually  overcoming  him,  and  he 
realised  that  if  he  wished  to  keep  awake  he  must  resort 
to  extreme  measures.  When  he  had  carefully  spread 
oil-paper  over  the  mats  he  stuck  his  dirk  into  his  thigh. 
The  sharp  pain  he  experienced  warded  off  sleep  for  a 
time,  but  eventually  he  felt  his  eyes  closing  once  more. 
Resolved  to  outwit  the  spell  which  had  proved  too 
much  for  the  retainers,  he  twisted  the  knife  in  his  thigh, 
and  thus  increased  the  pain  and  kept  his  loyal  watch, 
while  blood  continually  dripped  upon  the  oil-paper. 

While  Ito  Soda  watched  he  saw  the  sliding  doors 
drawn  open  and  a  beautiful  woman  creep  softly  into  the 
apartment.  With  a  smile  she  noticed  the  sleeping  re- 
tainers, and  was  about  to  approach  the  Prince  when  she 
observed  Ito  Soda.  After  she  had  spoken  curtly  to  him 
she  approached  the  Prince  and  inquired  how  he  fared,  but 
the  Prince  was  too  ill  to  make  a  reply.  Ito  Soda  watched 
every  movement,  and  believed  she  tried  to  bewitch  the 
Prince,  but  she  was  always  frustrated  in  her  evil  purpose 
by  the  dauntless  eyes  of  Ito  Soda,  and  at  last  she  was 
compelled  to  retire. 

In  the  morning  the  retainers  awoke,  and  were  filled 
with  shame  when  they  learnt  how  Ito  Soda  had  kept  his 
vigil.  The  councillors  loudly  praised  the  young  soldier 
for  his  loyalty  and  enterprise,  and  he  was  commanded 
to  keep  watch  again  that  night.  He  did  so,  and  once 
more  the  false  O  Toyo  entered  the  sick-room,  and,  as 
on  the  previous  night,  she  was  compelled  to  retreat 
without  being  able  to  cast  her  spell  over  the  Prince. 

It  was  discovered  that  immediately  the  faithful  Soda 
had  kept  guard  the  Prince  was  able  to  obtain  peaceful 
slumber,  and,  moreover,  that  he  began  to  get  better, 
for  the  false  O  Toyo,  having  been  frustrated  on  two 
occasions,  now  kept  away  altogether,  and  the  guard  was 

267 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

not  troubled  with  mysterious  drowsiness.  Soda,  im- 
pressed by  these  strange  circumstances,  went  to  one 
of  the  councillors  and  informed  him  that  the  so-called 
O  Toyo  was  a  goblin  of  some  kind. 

That  night  Soda  planned  to  go  to  the  creature's  room 
and  try  to  kill  her,  arranging  that  in  case  she  should 
escape  there  should  be  eight  retainers  outside  waiting 
to  capture  her  and  despatch  her  immediately. 

At  the  appointed  hour  Soda  went  to  the  creature's 
apartment,  pretending  that  he  bore  a  message  from  the 
Prince. 

"  What  is  your  message  ?  "  inquired  the  woman. 

"  Kindly  read  this  letter,"  replied  Soda,  and  with 
these  words  he  drew  his  dirk  and  tried  to  kill  her. 

The  false  O  Toyo  seized  a  halberd  and  endeavoured 
to  strike  her  adversary.  Blow  followed  blow,  but  at  last 
perceiving  that  flight  would  serve  her  better  than  battle 
she  threw  away  her  weapon,  and  in  a  moment  the  lovely 
maiden  turned  into  a  cat  and  sprang  on  to  the  roof. 
The  eight  men  waiting  outside  in  case  of  emergency 
shot  at  the  animal,  but  the  creature  succeeded  in  eluding 
them. 

The  cat  made  all  speed  for  the  mountains,  and  caused 
trouble  among  the  people  who  lived  in  the  vicinity,  but 
was  finally  killed  during  a  hunt  ordered  by  the  Prince 
Hizen.  The  Prince  became  well  again,  and  I  to  Soda 
received  the  honour  and  reward  he  so  richly  deserved. 

The  Dog 

Generally  speaking  the  dog  in  Japan  is  looked  upon 
as  a  friendly  animal,  and  in  most  legends  he  acquits  him- 
self well  ;  but  in  the  Oki  Islands  many  of  the  inhabi- 
tants believe  that  all  dogs  have  supernatural  power, 
attributed  to  the  fox  elsewhere.  Professor  B.  H. 
Chamberlain  writes  :  "The  human  beings  in  league 
268 


SHIPPEITARO  AND  THE  PHANTOM  CATS 

with  them  are  termed  inu-gami-mochi — that  is,  c  dog-god 
owners/  When  the  spirit  of  such  a  magic  dog  goes  forth 
on  an  errand  of  mischief  its  body  remains  behind,  grow- 
ing gradually  weaker,  and  sometimes  dying  and  falling 
to  decay.  When  this  happens  the  spirit  on  its  return 
takes  up  its  abode  in  the  body  of  a  wizard,  who  there- 
upon becomes  more  powerful  than  ever." 

Shippeitaro  and  the  Phantom  Cats 

A  certain  knight  took  shelter  in  a  lonely  and  dilapi- 
dated mountain  temple.  Towards  midnight  he  was 
awakened  by  hearing  a  strange  noise.  Gazing  about 
him,  he  saw  a  number  of  cats  dancing  and  yelling  and 
shrieking,  and  over  and  over  again  he  heard  these  words : 
"  Tell  it  not  to  Shippeitarv  !  " 

At  midnight  the  cats  suddenly  disappeared,  stillness 
reigned  in  the  ruined  temple,  and  our  warrior  was  able 
to  resume  his  slumber. 

The  next  morning  the  young  knight  left  the  haunted 
building,  and  came  to  one  or  two  small  dwellings  near  a 
village.  As  he  passed  one  of  these  houses  he  heard 
great  wailing  and  lamentation,  and  inquired  the  cause 
of  the  trouble. 

"  Alas  1  "  said  those  who  thronged  about  the  knight, 
"  well  may  you  ask  why  we  are  so  sorely  troubled.  This 
very  night  the  mountain  spirit  will  take  away  our  fairest 
maiden  in  a  great  cage  to  the  ruined  temple  where  you 
have  spent  the  night,  and  in  the  morning  she  will  be 
devoured  by  the  wicked  spirit  of  the  mountain.  Every 
year  we  lose  a  girl  in  this  way,  and  there  is  none  to 
help  us." 

The  knight,  greatly  moved  by  these  pitiful  words, 
and  anxious  to  be  of  service,  said:  "Who  or  what  is 
Shippeitaro  ?  The  evil  spirits  in  the  ruined  temple 

used  the  name  several  times." 

269 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

"  ShippeitarO,"  said  one  of  the  people,  "  is  a  brave  and 
very  fine  dog,  and  belongs  to  the  head  man  of  our  Prince." 

The  knight  hastened  off,  was  successful  in  securing 
ShippeitarO  for  one  night,  and  took  the  dog  back  with 
him  to  the  house  of  the  weeping  parents.  Already  the 
cage  was  prepared  for  the  damsel,  and  into  this  cage  he 
put  ShippeitarO,  and,  with  several  young  men  to  assist 
him,  they  reached  the  haunted  temple.  But  the  young 
men  would  not  remain  on  the  mountain,  for  they  were  full 
of  fear,  and,  having  performed  their  task,  they  took  their 
departure,  so  that  the  knight  and  the  dog  were  left  alone. 

At  midnight  the  phantom  cats  again  appeared,  this 
time  surrounding  a  tomcat  of  immense  size  and  of  great 
fierceness.  When  the  monster  cat  saw  the  cage  he 
sprang  round  it  with  screams  of  delight,  accompanied 
by  his  companions. 

The  warrior,  choosing  a  suitable  opportunity,  opened 
the  cage,  and  ShippeitarO  sprang  out  and  held  the  great 
cat  in  his  teeth.  In  another  moment  his  master  drew 
forth  his  sword  and  slew  the  wicked  creature.  The 
other  cats  were  too  amazed  at  what  they  had  seen  to 
make  good  their  escape,  and  the  valiant  ShippeitarO 
soon  made  short  work  of  them.  Thus  the  village 
was  no  longer  troubled  with  ravages  of  the  mountain 
spirit,  and  the  knight,  in  true  courtly  fashion,  gave  all 
the  praise  to  the  brave  ShippeitarO. 

The  Old  Man  Who  Made  the  Trees  to  Blossom 

One  day,  while  an  old  man  and  his  wife  were  in  the 
garden,  their  dog  suddenly  became  very  excited  as  he 
lowered  his  head  and  sniffed  the  ground  in  one  particular 
place.  The  old  people,  believing  that  their  pet  had 
detected  something  good  to  eat,  brought  a  spade  and 
commenced  to  dig,  and  to  their  amazement  they  dug  up 
a  great  number  or  gold  and  silver  pieces  and  a  variety  of 
270 


THE  MAN  WHO  MADE  THE  TREES  BLOSSOM 

precious  treasures  as  well.  With  this  newly  acquired 
wealth  the  old  couple  lost  no  time  in  distributing  alms 
among  the  poor. 

When  the  people  next  door  heard  about  their  neigh- 
bours' good  fortune  they  borrowed  the  dog,  and  spread 
before  him  all  manner  of  delicacies  in  the  hope  that  the 
animal  would  do  them  a  good  turn  too.  But  the  dog, 
who  had  been  on  previous  occasions  ill-treated  by  his 
hosts,  refused  to  eat,  and  at  length  the  angry  couple 
dragged  him  into  the  garden.  Immediately  the  dog 
began  to  sniff,  and  exactly  where  he  sniffed  the  greedy 
couple  began  to  dig ;  but  they  dug  up  no  treasure,  and 
all  they  could  find  was  very  objectionable  refuse.  The 
old  couple,  angry  and  disappointed,  killed  the  dog  and 
buried  him  under  a  pine-tree. 

The  good  old  man  eventually  learnt  what  had  befallen 
his  faithful  dog,  and,  full  of  sorrow,  he  went  to  the  place 
where  his  pet  was  buried,  and  arranged  food  and  flowers 
on  the  grave,  weeping  as  he  did  so. 

That  night  the  spirit  of  the  dog  came  to  his  master, 
and  said  :  "  Cut  down  the  tree  where  I  am  buried,  and 
from  the  wood  fashion  a  mortar,  and  think  of  me  when- 
ever you  use  it." 

The  old  man  carried  out  these  instructions,  and  he 
found  that  when  he  ground  the  grains  of  rice  in  the  pine 
mortar  every  grain  turned  into  a  precious  treasure. 

The  wicked  old  couple,  having  borrowed  the  dog, 
had  no  compunction  in  borrowing  the  mortar  too,  but 
with  these  wicked  people  the  rice  immediately  turned 
into  filth,  so  that  in  their  anger  they  broke  and  burnt 
the  precious  vessel. 

Once  again  the  spirit  of  the  dog  appeared  before  his 
master,  and  informed  him  what  had  taken  place,  adding : 
"  If  you  will  sprinkle  the  ashes  of  the  mortar  over 
withered  trees  they  will  immediately  become  full  of 

271 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

blossom,"  and  having  uttered  these  words  the  spirit 
departed. 

The  kind-hearted  old  man  secured  the  ashes,  and, 
placing  them  in  a  basket,  journeyed  from  village  to 
village  and  from  town  to  town,  and  over  withered  trees 
he  threw  the  ashes,  and,  as  the  dog  had  promised,  they 
suddenly  came  into  flower.  A  prince  heard  of  these 
wonders,  and  commanded  the  old  man  to  appear  before 
him,  requesting  that  he  would  give  an  exhibition  of  his 
miraculous  power.  The  old  man  did  so,  and  joyfully 
departed  with  the  many  royal  gifts  bestowed  upon  him. 

The  old  man's  neighbours,,  hearing  of  these  miracles, 
collected  together  the  remaining  ashes  of  the  wonderful 
mortar,  and  the  wicked  fellow  went  about  the  country 
claiming  to  be  able  to  revive  withered  or  dead  trees. 
Like  the  original  worker  of  wonders,  the  greedy  old  man 
appeared  in  the  palace,  and  was  commanded  to  restore  a 
withered  tree.  The  old  man  climbed  up  into  a  tree 
and  scattered  the  ashes,  but  the  tree  still  remained 
withered,  and  the  ashes  almost  blinded  and  suffocated  the 
Prince.  Upon  this  the  old  impostor  was  almost  beaten  to 
death,  and  he  went  away  in  a  very  miserable  state  indeed. 

The  kind  old  man  and  his  wife,  after  rebuking  their 
neighbours  for  their  wickedness,  allowed  them  to  share 
in  their  wealth,  and  the  once  mean,  cruel,  and  crafty 
couple  led  good  and  virtuous  lives. 

The  Jellyfish  and  the  Monkey 3 

Rin-Jin,  the  King  of  the  Sea,  took  to  wife  a  young 
and  beautiful  Dragon  Princess.  They  had  not  been 

L  The  Three  Mystic  Apes  figure  in  Japanese  legend.  Mizaru  is 
represented  with  his  hands  over  his  eyes,  Kikazaru  with  his  hands 
covering  his  ears,  and  Iwazaru  with  his  hands  laid  upon  his  mouth. 
These  mystic  apes  symbolise  (i)  He  who  sees  no  evil,  (2)  He  who 
hears  no  evil,  (3)  He  who  speaks  no  evil. 
272 


The  Jelly  Fish  and  the  Monkey.  272 


THE  JELLY-FISH  AND  THE  MONKEY 

married  long  when  the  fair  Queen  fell  ill,  and  all  the 
advice  and  attention  of  the  great  physicians  availed 
nothing. 

"  Oh,"  sobbed  the  Queen,  "  there  is  only  one  thing 
that  will  cure  me  of  my  illness  !  " 

"  What  is  that  ?  "  inquired  Rin-Jin. 

"  If  I  eat  the  liver  of  a  live  monkey  I  shall  imme- 
diately recover.  Pray  get  me  a  monkey's  liver,  for  I 
know  that  nothing  else  will  save  my  life." 

So  Rin-Jin  called  a  jelly-fish  to  his  side,  and  said  : 
"  I  want  you  to  swim  to  the  land  and  return  with  a  live 
monkey  on  your  back,  for  I  wish  to  use  his  liver  that 
our  Queen  may  be  restored  to  health  again.  You  are 
the  only  creature  who  can  perform  this  task,  for  you 
alone  have  legs  and  are  able  to  walk  about  on  shore. 
In  order  to  induce  the  monkey  to  come  you  must  tell 
him  of  the  wonders  of  the  deep  and  of  the  rare  beauties 
of  my  great  palace,  with  its  floor  of  pearl  and  its  walls 
of  coral." 

The  jelly-fish,  delighted  to  think  that  the  health  and 
happiness  of  his  mistress  depended  upon  the  success  of 
his  enterprise,  lost  no  time  in  swimming  to  an  island. 
He  had  no  sooner  stepped  on  shore  than  he  observed  a 
fine-looking  monkey  playing  about  in  the  branches  of  a 
pine-tree. 

«  Hello  !  "  said  the  jelly-fish,  "  I  don't  think  much 
of  this  island.  What  a  dull  and  miserable  life  you 
must  lead  here  !  I  come  from  the  Kingdom  of  the  Sea, 
where  Rin-Jin  reigns  in  a  palace  of  great  size  and  beauty. 
It  may  be  that  you  would  like  to  see  a  new  country 
where  there  is  plenty  of  fruit  and  where  the  weather  is 
always  fine.  If  so,  get  on  my  back,  and  I  shall  have 
much  pleasure  in  taking  you  to  the  Kingdom  of  the 
Sea." 

"  I  shall  be  delighted  to  accept  your  invitation,"  said 

s  273 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

the  monkey,  as  he  got  down  from  the  tree  and  comfort- 
ably seated  himself  on  the  thick  shell  of  the  jelly-fish. 

"  By  the  way,"  said  the  jelly-fish,  when  he  had  accom- 
plished about  half  of  the  return  journey,  "I  suppose 
you  have  brought  your  liver  with  you,  haven't  you  ?  " 

"What  a  personal  question!"  replied  the  monkey. 
"Why  do  you  ask?" 

"  Our  Sea  Queen  is  dangerously  ill,"  said  the  foolish 
jelly-fish,  "and  only  the  liver  of  a  live  monkey  will  save 
her  life.  When  we  reach  the  palace  a  doctor  will  make 
use  of  your  liver  and  my  mistress  will  be  restored  to 
health  again." 

"Dear  me!"  exclaimed  the  monkey,  "I  wish  you 
had  mentioned  this  matter  to  me  before  we  left  the 
island." 

"  If  I  had  done  so,"  replied  the  jelly-fish,  "  you  would 
most  certainly  have  refused  my  invitation." 

"Believe  me,  you  are  quite  mistaken,  my  dear  jelly- 
fish. I  have  several  livers  hanging  up  on  a  pine-tree, 
and  I  would  gladly  have  spared  one  in  order  to  save 
the  life  of  your  Queen.  If  you  will  bring  me  back  to 
the  island  again  I  will  get  it.  It  was  most  unfortunate 
that  I  should  have  forgotten  to  bring  a  liver  with  me." 

So  the  credulous  jelly-fish  turned  round  and  swam 
back  to  the  island.  Directly  the  jelly-fish  reached  the 
shore  the  monkey  sprang  from  his  back  and  danced 
about  on  the  branches  of  a  tree. 

"Liver,"  said  the  monkey,  chuckling,  "did  you  say 
liver  ?  You  silly  old  jelly-fish,  you'll  certainly  never 
get  mine  !  " 

The  jelly-fish  at  length  reached  the  palace,  and  told 
Rin-Jin  his  dismal  tale.  The  Sea  King  fell  into  a  great 
passion.  "  Beat  him  to  a  jelly !  "  he  cried  to  those 
about  him.  "  Beat  this  stupid  fellow  till  he  hasn't  a 
bone  left  in  his  body  !  " 
274 


THE  HORSE  OF  BRONZE 

So  the  jelly-fish  lost  his  shell  from  that  unfortunate 
hour,  and  all  the  jelly-fishes  that  were  born  in  the 
sea  after  his  death  were  also  without  shells,  and  have 
remained  nothing  but  jelly  to  this  day. 

The  Horse  of  Bronze 

Upon  the  festival  of  the  Minige,  or  "The  Body- 
escaping,"  the  Deity  of  Kitzuki,  Oho-kuninushi,  is 
said  to  ride  through  the  streets  on  the  Bronze  Horse. 
The  rite  connected  with  the  festival  is  of  so  mysterious 
a  kind  that  the  officiating  priest  can  only  impart  the 
secret  after  his  death  to  his  son  through  the  medium 
of  the  deceased  man's  spirit.  The  great  carved  dragon 
of  Kitzuki  was  supposed  at  one  time  to  crawl  over  the 
roofs  of  many  houses,  but  when  his  wooden  throat  was 
cut  he  remained  simply  a  work  of  art  and  no  longer 
troubled  the  inhabitants.  Bronze  deer  of  Matsue,  a 
stag  and  a  doe,  also  had  miraculous  power  and  were 
able  to  run  about  the  streets  at  night.  These  visitations 
were  so  frequent  and  so  disturbing  that  eventually  their 
heads  were  cut  and  their  escapades  came  to  an  end. 
The  gigantic  tortoise  of  the  Gesshoji  temple,  a  stone 
colossus  very  nearly  sixteen  feet  in  height,  was  on  many 
occasions  seen  endeavouring  to  swim  across  a  pond 
covered  with  lotus.  This  creature,  like  those  we 
have  just  mentioned,  was  mutilated,  and  his  midnight 
wanderings  permanently  checked. 


*75 


CHAPTER  XXIII :  BIRD  AND  INSECT 
LEGENDS 

Birds 

WE  have  already  noticed  certain  birds  mentioned 
in  Japanese  legend,  the  pheasant  in  the  story 
of  Momotaro,  the  Ho-Ho  Bird,  the  Bridge  of 
Magpies  in  the  accountiof  Tanabata,  the  mysterious  light 
said  to  shine  from  the  blue  heron,  the  Thunder  Bird, 
&c.  The  sckireiy  or  wagtails,  are  sacred  to  Izanagi  and 
Izanami,  for  it  was  through  these  birds  that  these  divi- 
nities first  learnt  the  art  of  love,  and  not  even  the  God 
of  Scarecrows  can  frighten  them.  When  the  great  hero 
Yamato-take  died  he  was  supposed  to  have  been  trans- 
formed into  a  white  bird,  and  we  read  in  the  Hv-jv-ki'1 
that  Chomei  fancied  he  heard  in  the  note  of  a  copper 
pheasant  the  cry  of  his  mother.  Mythical  creatures 
such  as  the  Tengu  possess  certain  bird-like  qualities, 
but  they  cannot  be  classed  under  the  heading  of  birds, 
and  for  this  reason  they  are  dealt  with  elsewhere. 

The  Cock 

The  God  of  Mionoseki  detests  cocks  and  hens  and 
everything  pertaining  to  these  birds,  and  the  inhabitants 
respect  his  very  marked  dislike.  On  one  occasion  a 
certain  steamer,  shortly  after  making  for  the  open  sea, 
encountered  a  severe  storm,  and  it  was  thought  that  the 
God  of  Mionoseki,  who  is  the  God  of  Mariners,  must 
have  been  seriously  offended.  At  length  the  captain 
discovered  that  one  of  his  passengers  was  smoking  a  pipe 
adorned  with  the  figure  of  a  crowing  cock.  The  pipe 
was  immediately  thrown  into  the  sea,  and  the  storm 
abated. 

1  Translated  by  F.  Victor  Dickins. 


HOW  YORITOMO  WAS  SAVED  BY  TWO  DOVES 

We  are  able  to  gather  the  reason  for  the  hatred  of 
the  cock  from  the  following  legend.  In  the  Kojity  we 
are  informed  that  the  son  of  the  Deity  of  Kitsuki  spent 
many  an  hour  at  Mionoseki  in  catching  birds  and  fish. 
At  that  time  the  cock  was  his  trusted  friend,  and  it 
was  the  duty  of  this  bird  to  crow  lustily  when  it  was  time 
for  the  God  to  return  from  his  sport.  On  one  occasion, 
however,  the  cock  forgot  to  crow,  and  in  consequence, 
in  the  God's  hurry  to  go  back  in  his  boat  he  lost  his 
oars,  and  was  compelled  to  propel  the  vessel  with  his 
hands,  which  were  severely  bitten  by  fishes. 

How  Yoritomo  was  Saved  by  Two  Doves 

Yoritomo,  having  been  defeated  in  a  battle  against 
Oba  Kage-chika,  was  forced  to  retreat  with  six  of  his 
followers.  They  ran  with  all  speed  through  a  forest, 
and,  finding  a  large  hollow  tree,  crept  inside  for  shelter. 

In  the  meantime  Oba  Kage-chika  said  to  his  cousin, 
Oba  Kagetoki  :  "  Go  and  search  for  Yoritomo,  for  I 
have  good  reason  to  believe  that  he  lies  hidden  in  this 
forest.  I  will  so  arrange  my  men  that  the  flight  of  our 
enemy  will  be  impossible." 

Oba  Kagetoki  departed,  none  too  pleased  with  the 
mission,  for  he  had  once  been  on  friendly  terms  with 
Yoritomo.  When  he  reached  the  hollow  tree  and  saw 
through  a  hole  in  the  trunk  that  his  old  friend  lay  con- 
cealed within,  he  took  pity  on  him,  and  returned  to  his 
cousin,  saying  :  "  I  believe  that  Yoritomo,  our  enemy, 
is  not  in  this  wood." 

When  Oba  Kage-chika  heard  these  words  he  cried 
fiercely  :  "  You  lie  !  How  could  Yoritomo  make  his 
escape  so  soon  and  with  my  men  standing  on  guard 
about  the  forest  ?  Lead  the  way,  and  I  and  some  of  my 
men  will  follow  you.  No  cunning  this  time,  cousin,  or 
you  shall  severely  suffer  for  it." 

*77 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

In  due  time  the  party  reached  the  hollow  tree,  and 
Kage-chika  was  about  to  enter  it,  when  his  cousin  cried  : 
"  Stay  !  What  folly  is  this  ?  Cannot  you  see  that  there 
is  a  spider's  web  spun  across  the  opening  ?  How  could 
any  one  enter  this  tree  without  breaking  it  ?  Let  us 
spend  our  time  more  profitably  elsewhere." 

Kage-chika,  however,  was  still  suspicious  concerning 
his  cousin,  and  he  thrust  his  bow  into  the  hollow  trunk. 
It  almost  touched  the  crouching  Yoritomo,  when  two 
white  doves  suddenly  flew  out  of  the  cavity. 

"Alas  !  "  exclaimed  Kage-chika,  "  you  are  right,  our 
enemy  cannot  lie  concealed  here,  for  doves  and  a  cob- 
web would  not  admit  of  such  a  thing/' 

By  the  timely  aid  of  two  doves  and  a  spider's  web  the 
great  hero  Yoritomo  made  good  his  escape,  and  when, 
in  later  years,  he  became  Shogun  he  caused  shrines  to 
be  erected  to  Hachiman,  the  God  of  War,  in  recognition 
of  his  deliverance,  for  the  doves  of  Japan  are  recognised 
as  the  messengers  of  war,  and  not  of  peace,  as  is  the  case 
in  our  own  country. 

The  Hototogisu 

"  A  solitary  voice  ! 
Did  the  Moon  cry  ? 
'Twas  but  the  hototogisu." 

From  the  Japanese. 

There  is  a  mysterious  bird  called  the  hototogisu  which 
plaintively  cries  its  own  name,  dividing  it  into  syllables 
thus:  "  ho-to-to-gi-su"  According  to  legend  it  is  no 
earthly  bird,  but  wanders  from  the  Realm  of  the  Dead 
at  the  end  of  May,  and  warns  all  peasants  who  see  it 
that  it  is  time  to  sow  the  rice.  Some  interpret  the 
bird's  note  as  meaning,  "  Has  the  fyfymono  been  sus- 
pended ? "  others  that  it  gently  repeats  :  "  Surely  it  is 
better  to  return  home."  The  latter  intrepretation  is 
278 


THE  TONGUE-CUT  SPARROW 

characteristically  Japanese,  for  if  it  is  believed  that  souls 
return  in  the  summer-time,  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose 
that  at  least  one  of  the  birds  should  fly  back  to  the  old 
woods  and  streams  and  hills  of  Nippon. 

The  Tongue'cut  Sparrow 

A  cross  old  woman  was  at  her  wash-tub  when  her 
neighbour's  pet  sparrow  ate  up  all  the  starch,  mistaking 
it  for  ordinary  food.  The  old  woman  was  so  angry  at 
what  had  happened  that  she  cut  out  the  sparrow's  tongue, 
and  the  unfortunate  bird  flew  away  to  a  mountain. 

When  the  old  couple  to  whom  the  sparrow  belonged 
heard  what  had  taken  place  they  left  their  home  and 
journeyed  a  great  distance  until  they  had  the  good 
fortune  to  find  their  pet  again. 

The  sparrow  was  no  less  delighted  to  meet  his  master 
and  mistress,  and  begged  them  to  enter  his  house. 
When  they  had  done  so  they  were  feasted  with  an 
abundance  of  fish  and  saJ^y  were  waited  upon  by  the 
sparrow's  wife,  children,  and  grandchildren,  and,  not 
content  with  these  deeds  of  hospitality,  the  feathered 
host  danced  a  jig  called  the  Sparrow's  Dance. 

When  it  was  time  for  the  old  couple  to  return  home 
the  sparrow  brought  forth  two  wicker  baskets,  saying  : 
"  One  is  heavy,  and  the  other  is  light.  Which  would 
you  rather  have  ?  " 

"  Oh,  the  light  one,"  replied  the  old  couple,  "  for  we 
are  aged  and  the  journey  is  a  long  one." 

When  the  old  people  reached  their  home  they  opened 
the  basket,  and  to  their  delight  and  amazement  dis- 
covered gold  and  silver,  jewels  and  silk.  As  fast  as 
they  took  the  precious  things  out  an  inexhaustible 
supply  came  to  their  place,  so  that  the  wonderful  basket 
of  treasure  could  not  be  emptied,  and  the  happy  old 

couple  grew  rich  and  prosperous. 

279 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

It  was  not  long  before  the  old  woman  who  had  cut 
out  the  sparrow's  tongue  heard  about  the  good  fortune 
of  her  neighbours,  and  she  hastened  to  inquire  where 
this  wonderful  sparrow  was  to  be  seen. 

Having  gained  the  information,  she  had  no  difficulty 
in  finding  the  sparrow.  When  the  bird  saw  her  he  asked 
which  of  two  baskets  she  would  prefer  to  take  away 
with  her,  the  heavy  or  light  one  ?  The  cruel  and  greedy 
old  woman  chose  the  heavy  one,  believing  that  this 
basket  would  contain  more  treasure  than  the  light  one  ; 
but  when,  after  much  labour,  she  reached  home  and 
opened  it,  devils  sprang  upon  her  and  tore  her  to  pieces. 

A  Noble  Sacrifice 

There  was  once  a  man  who  was  extremely  fond  of 
shooting  birds.  He  had  two  daughters,  good  Bud- 
dhists, and  each  in  turn  pointed  out  the  folly  of  their 
father's  cruel  sport,  and  begged  him  not  to  destroy 
life  wantonly.  However,  the  man  was  obstinate  and 
would  not  listen  to  his  daughters'  entreaties.  One 
day  a  neighbour  asked  him  to  shoot  two  storks,  and 
he  promised  to  do  so.  When  the  women  heard  what 
their  father  was  about  to  do,  they  said :  "  Let  us 
dress  in  pure  white  garments  and  go  down  upon  the 
shore  to-night,  for  it  is  a  place  much  frequented  by 
storks.  If  our  father  should  kill  either  of  us  in  mis- 
take for  the  birds,  it,  will  teach  him  a  lesson,  and  he 
will  surely  repent  his  evil  ways,  which  are  contrary  to 
the  gentle  teaching  of  the  Lord  Buddha." 

That  night  the  man  went  to  the  shore,  and  the 
cloudy  sky  made  it  difficult  for  him  to  discover  any 
storks.  At  last,  however,  he  saw  two  white  objects  in 
the  distance.  He  fired  ;  the  bodies  fell  immediately, 
and  he  ran  to  where  they  lay,  only  to  discover  that  he 
had  shot  both  his  noble,  self-sacrificing  daughters. 
280 


INSECTS 

Stricken  with  sorrow,  the  man  erected  a  funeral  pyre 
and  burnt  the  bodies  of  his  poor  children.  Having 
done  these  things,  he  shaved  his  head,  went  into  the 
woods,  and  became  a  hermit. 

A  Pair  of  Phoenix 

A  clever  woman  named  Saijosen  was  engaged  in 
embroidery.  One  day  an  old  man  called  upon  her, 
and  said  :  "  Work  for  me  on  a  piece  of  cloth  a  pair  of 
phoenix."  Saijosen  readily  complied,  and  when  the 
birds  were  worked  the  old  man  closed  his  eyes  and 
pointed  at  the  phoenix  with  his  finger.  Immediately 
the  birds  became  alive,  and  the  girl  and  the  old  man 
mounted  upon  their  backs  and  disappeared  into  the 
sky. 

Insects 

Much  has  been  written  about  the  Japanese  semi, 
or  tree-crickets,  and  it  seems  strange  to  us  that  these 
little  creatures  should  be  bought  and  placed  in  minute 
cages,  where  they  sing  with  extraordinary  sweetness. 
Lafcadio  Hearn  in  Kottt  gives  us  a  pathetic  story 
concerning  one  of  these  insects.  He  tells  us  that  his 
servant  forgot  to  feed  it,  and  that  gradually  it  ceased 
to  sing,  being  forced  at  last  to  eat  its  own  minute 
limbs. 

The  minminzemis  singing  resembles  the  chanting  of 
a  Buddhist  priest,  while  the  green  semi,  or  higurashi, 
makes  a  sound  like  the  trilling  of  a  tiny  bell.  The 
carrying  of  a  dried  beetle  is  said  to  increase  one's  ward- 
robe. It  must  be  remembered  in  the  legends  that 
follow  that  according  to  Buddhist  teaching  all  life  is 
sacred,  and,  moreover,  that  on  account  of  some  sin 
the  Buddhists  believe  that  the  soul  of  a  man  or  woman 
can  enter  even  the  minute  form  of  an  insect. 

281 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Dragon'flies 

"  The  gold  sun  shimmering  in  noontide  skies 
Shines  down,  where  the  red-burnished  dragon-flies 
Flit  to  and  fro  in  the  translucent  haze 
Over  the  village  of  eventless  days  !  " 

Trans,  by  CLARA  A.  WALSH. 

The  dragon-fly  is  frequently  mentioned  in  Japanese 
poetry,  but  nowhere  more  pathetically  than  in  the  follow- 
ing lines  written  by  Chiyo  after  the  death  of  her  little 
son  : 

"  How  far,  I  wonder,  did  he  stray, 
Chasing  the  burnished  dragon-fly  to-day  ? " 

Chiyo,  in  this  exquisite  fragment,  suggests  a  very  great 
deal,  for  in  her  mother-love  there  is  no  dismal  concep- 
tion of  Death.  She  regards  the  future  life  of  her  little 
one  as  the  happiest  hour  of  playtime.  Once  more  in 
these  lines  there  is  the  Japanese  idea  of  the  soul  coming 
back  again. 

The  most  charming  Japanese  dragon-fly  is  called 
TensM-tombO)  "  the  Emperor's  dragon-fly."  There  is  a 
larger  variety  particularly  sought  after  by  children,  and 
of  this  species  there  are  many  more  females  than  males. 
Boys  tie  a  female  to  a  tree,  and  sing  :  "  Thou,  the 
male,  King  of  Korea,  dost  thou  not  feel  shame  to  flee 
away  from  the  Queen  of  the  East  ?  "  This  quaint  song 
is  an  allusion  to  the  legendary  conquest  of  Korea,  to 
which  we  shall  refer  later  on,  and  it  succeeds  in  attract- 
ing the  male  dragon-fly.  It  is  also  believed  that  if  a 
certain  ideograph  is  traced  in  the  air  it  has  the  power  to 
paralyse  the  dragon-fly  one  wishes  to  catch. 

Tama's  Return 

I- Kazariya   Kyubei,  a   merchant,  had  a  maid-servant 

called  Tama.     Tama  worked  well  and  cheerfully,  but 

282 


TAMA'S  RETURN 

she  was  negligent  in  regard  to  her  dress.  One  day, 
when  she  had  been  five  years  in  Kyabei's  house,  her 
master  said  to  her  :  "  Tama,  how  is  it  that,  unlike 
most  girls,  you  seem  to  have  no  desire  to  look  your 
best  ?  When  you  go  out  you  wear  your  working 
dress.  Surely  you  should  put  on  a  pretty  robe  on 
such  occasions." 

"Good  master,"  said  Tama,  "you  do  well  to  rebuke 
me,  for  you  do  not  know  why,  during  all  these  years, 
I  have  worn  old  clothes  and  have  made  no  attempt  to 
wear  pretty  ones.  When  my  father  and  mother  died  I 
was  but  a  child,  and  as  I  had  no  brothers  or  sisters  it 
rested  upon  me  to  have  Buddhist  services  performed 
on  behalf  of  my  parents.  In  order  that  this  might 
come  to  pass  I  have  saved  the  money  you  have  given 
me,  and  spent  as  little  upon  myself  as  possible.  Now 
my  parents'  mortuary  tablets  are  placed  in  the  Jorakuji 
temple,  and,  having  given  my  money  to  the  prieets,  the 
sacred  rites  have  now  been  performed.  I  have  fulfilled 
my  wish,  and,  begging  for  your  forgiveness,  I  will  in 
future  dress  more  becomingly." 

Before  Tama  died  she  asked  her  mistress  to  keep 
the  remaining  money  she  had  saved.  Shortly  after  her 
death  a  large  fly  entered  Kyabei's  house.  Now  at  that 
time  of  the  year,  the  Period  of  the  Greatest  Cold,  it 
was  unusual  for  flies  to  appear,  and  the  master  of  the 
house  was  considerably  puzzled.  He  carefully  put  the 
insect  outside  the  house  ;  but  it  flew  back  immediately, 
and  every  time  it  was  ejected  it  came  back  again. 
"This  fly,"  said  Kyubei's  wife,  "may  be  Tama." 
Kyabei  cut  a  small  piece  out  of  the  insect's  wings,  and 
this  time  carried  it  some  distance  from  his  abode.  But 
the  next  day  it  returned  once  more,  and  this  time  the 
master  painted  the  fly's  wings  and  body  with  rouge,  and 
took  it  even  further  away  from  his  dwelling.  Two 

283 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

days  later  the  fly  returned,  and  the  nick  in  its  wings  and 
the  rouge  with  which  it  was  covered  left  no  doubt  in  the 
minds  of  Kyubei  and  his  wife  that  this  persistent  insect 
was  indeed  Tama. 

"I  believe,"  said  Kyubei's  wife,  "that  Tama  has 
returned  to  us  because  she  wants  us  to  do  something 
for  her.  I  have  the  money  she  asked  me  to  keep. 
Let  us  give  it  to  the  priests  in  order  that  they  may  pray 
for  her  soul."  When  these  words  had  been  spoken 
the  fly  fell  dead  upon  the  floor. 

Kyubei  and  his  wife  placed  the  fly  in  a  box,  and 
with  the  girl's  money  they  went  to  the  priests.  A  sutra 
was  recited  over  the  body  of  the  insect,  and  it  was  duly 
buried  in  the  temple  grounds. 

Sanemori  and  Shiwan 

Sanemori,  who  was  a  great  warrior,  was  on  one 
occasion,  while  riding  on  a  horse,  engaged  in  fighting 
an  enemy.  During  the  conflict  his  horse  slipped  and 
rolled  into  a  rice-field.  As  the  result  of  this  mishap 
his  antagonist  was  able  to  slay  him,  and  from  that  hour 
Sanemori  became  a  rice-devouring  insect,  known  by  the 
peasantry  of  Izumo  as  Sanemori-San.  During  certain 
summer  nights  the  peasants  light  fires  in  their  rice-fields 
in  order  to  attract  the  insect,  play  upon  flutes  and  beat 
gongs,  crying  :  "  O  Sanemori,  augustly  deign  to  come 
hither  !  "  A  religious  rite  is  then  performed,  and  a 
straw  representation  of  a  rider  upon  a  horse  is  either 
burnt  or  thrown  into  water.  It  is  believed  that  this 
ceremony  will  successfully  free  the  fields  from  the  rice- 
devouring  insect. 

The  shiwan,  a  small  yellow  insect  that  feeds  upon 
cucumbers,  is  said  to  have  once  been  a  physician.  This 
physician,  guilty  of  some  intrigue,  was  forced  to  leave 
his  home,  but  in  attempting  to  make  his  escape  his  foot 

284 


FIREFLIES 

caught  in  the  sinuous  coils  of  a  cucumber  vine,  and 
he  was  killed  by  his  pursuers.  His  angry  ghost 
became  a  shiwany  and  from  that  day  to  this  the 
insect  feeds  upon  cucumbers. 

Fireflies 

"  For  this  willow-tree  the  season  of  budding  would  seem 
to  have  returned  in  the  dark — look  at  the  fireflies." 

In  ancient  days  firefly-hunting  was  one  of  the  amuse- 
ments of  great  nobles,  but  to-day  it  is  the  pastime  of 
children  only.  These  hunting  parties,  however,  have 
lost  none  of  their  picturesqueness,  and  the  flashing 
insect  has  been  the  theme  of  many  an  exquisite  poem, 
such  as  :  "  Ah,  the  cunning  fireflies  !  being  chased,  they 
hide  themselves  in  the  moonlight  ! " 

Grown-up  people,  however,  go  out  to  see  the  fire- 
flies with  the  same  ardour  with  which  they  indulge  in 
flower-viewing.  To  the  minds  of  these  great  Nature- 
lovers  the  fireflies  resemble  dazzling  petals  of  some 
strange  fire-flower  or  a  host  of  wondering  stars  that 
has  left  the  sky  to  wander  upon  the  earth.  During 
the  summer  thousands  of  people  visit  Uji  in  order  to 
see  the  Hotaru-Kassen,  or  Firefly  Battle.  From  the 
river-bank  dart  myriads  of  these  flashing  insects,  and  in 
a  moment  they  form  a  great  silver-shining  cloud.  The 
cloud  breaks  and  the  flowing  river,  once  dark  as  black 
velvet,  becomes  a  winding  stretch  of  gleaming  jewels. 
No  wonder  the  Japanese  poet  cries  :  "  Do  I  see  only 
fireflies  drifting  with  the  current  ?  Or  is  the  Night 
itself  drifting,  with  its  swarming  of  stars  ?  " 

There  is  a  legend  connected  with  this  fascinating 
spectacle.  It  is  believed  that  the  Minamoto-Firefly  and 
the  Taira-Firefly  are  the  ghosts  of  the  old  warriors  of 
the  Minamoto  and  Taira  clans.  On  the  night  of  the 

285 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

twentieth  day  of  the  fourth  month  they  fight  a  great 
battle  on  the  Uji  River.  On  that  night  all  caged  fire- 
flies are  set  free  in  order  that  they  may  fight  again  the 
old  clan  battles  of  the  twelfth  century.  The  ghostly 
significance  of  fireflies  is  further  strengthened  by  the  fact 
that  these  insects  are  fond  of  swarming  round  willow- 
trees — the  most  eerie  trees  in  Japan.  Fireflies  in 
ancient  days  were  supposed  to  possess  medicinal  pro- 
perties. Firefly  ointment  was  said  to  render  all  poisons 
harmless^  and,  moreover,  it  had  the  power  to  drive  away 
evil  spirits  and  to  preserve  a  house  from  the  attacks  of 
robbers. 

A  Strange  Dream 

A  young  man  of  Matsue  was  returning  home  from  a 
wedding-party  when  he  saw,  just  in  front  of  his  house, 
a  firefly.  He  paused  a  moment,  surprised  to  see  such 
an  insect  on  a  cold  winter's  night  with  snow  on  the 
ground.  While  he  stood  and  meditated  the  firefly  flew 
toward  him,  and  the  young  man  struck  at  it  with  his 
stick,  but  the  insect  flew  away  and  entered  the  garden 
adjoining  his  own. 

The  next  day  he  called  at  his  neighbour's  house,  and 
was  about  to  relate  the  experience  of  the  previous  night 
when  the  eldest  daughter  of  the  family  entered  the 
room,  and  exclaimed  :  "  I  had  no  idea  you  were  here, 
and  yet  a  moment  ago  you  were  in  my  mind.  Last 
night  1  dreamt  that  I  became  a  firefly.  It  was  all  very 
real  and  very  beautiful,  and  while  I  was  darting  hither 
and  thither  I  saw  you,  and  flew  toward  you,  intending 
to  tell  you  that  I  had  learnt  to  fly,  but  you  thrust  me 
aside  with  your  stick,  and  the  incident  still  frightens 


me." 


The  young  man,  having  heard  these  words  from  the 
lips  of  his  betrothed,  held  his  peace. 
286 


The  Firefly  Battle. 


286 


THE  VENGEANCE  OF  KANSHIRO 

The  Vengeance  of  Kanshiro1 

In  the  village  of  Funakami  there  lived  a  devout  old 
farmer  called  Kanshiro.  Every  year  the  old  man  made 
various  pilgrimages  to  certain  shrines,  where  he  prayed 
and  asked  the  blessings  of  the  deities.  At  last,  how- 
ever, he  became  so  infirm  that  he  realised  that  his  earthly 
days  were  numbered,  and  that  he  would  probably  only 
have  strength  to  pay  one  more  visit  to  the  great  shrines 
at  Ise.  When  the  people  of  the  village  heard  this  noble 
resolution  they  generously  gave  him  a  sum  of  money 
in  order  that  the  respected  old  farmer  might  present  it 
to  the  sacred  shrines. 

Kanshiro  set  off  upon  his  pilgrimage  carrying  the 
money  in  a  bag,  which  he  hung  round  his  neck.  The 
weather  was  extremely  hot,  and  the  heat  and  fatigue  of 
the  journey  made  the  old  man  so  ill  that  he  was  forced 
to  remain  for  a  few  days  in  the  village  of  Myojo.  He 
went  to  a  small  inn  and  asked  Jimpachi,  the  innkeeper, 
to  take  care  of  his  money,  explaining  that  it  was  an 
offering  to  the  Gods  at  Ise.  Jimpachi  took  the  money, 
and  assured  the  old  man  that  he  would  take  great  care 
of  it,  and,  moreover,  that  he  himself  would  attend  upon 
him. 

On  the  sixth  day  the  old  man,  though  still  far  from 
well,  paid  his  bill,  took  the  bag  from  the  innkeeper,  and 
proceeded  on  his  journey.  As  Kanshiro  observed  many 
pilgrims  in  the  vicinity  he  did  not  look  into  the  bag, 
but  carefully  concealed  it  in  the  sack  containing  spare 
raiment  and  food. 

When  Kanshiro  at  length  rested  under  a  pine-tree 
he  took  out  the  bag  and  looked  inside.  Alas  !  the  money 
had  been  stolen,  and  stones  of  the  same  weight  inserted 

1  Adapted  from  Ancient  Tales  and  Folk-lore  of  Japan,  by  R.  Gordon 
Smith. 

287 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

in  its  place.  The  old  man  hastily  returned  to  the  inn- 
keeper and  begged  him  to  restore  the  money.  Jimpachi 
grew  extremely  angry,  and  gave  him  a  severe  beating. 

The  poor  old  man  crawled  away  from  the  village,  and 
three  days  later,  with  indomitable  courage,  he  succeeded 
in  reaching  the  sacred  shrines  at  Ise.  He  sold  his  pro- 
perty in  order  to  refund  the  money  his  good  neighbours 
had  given  him,  and  with  what  remained  he  continued 
his  pilgrimage,  till  at  last  he  was  forced  to  beg  for  food. 

Three  years  later  Kanshiro  went  to  the  village  of 
Myoto,  and  found  that  the  innkeeper  who  had  treated 
him  so  badly  was  now  comparatively  well  off,  and  lived 
in  a  large  house.  The  old  man  went  to  him,  and  said  : 
"  You  have  stolen  sacred  money  from  me,  and  I  have 
sold  my  little  property  in  order  that  I  might  refund  it  to 
those  who  had  given  it  to  me.  Ever  since  that  time  I 
have  been  a  beggar,  but  be  assured  vengeance  shall  fall 
upon  you ! " 

Jimpachi  cursed  the  old  man  and  told  him  that  he 
had  not  stolen  his  money.  During  the  heated  dispute 
a  watchman  seized  Kanshiro,  dragged  him  away  from 
the  house,  and  told  him  that  he  would  be  arrested  if  he 
dared  to  return.  At  the  end  of  the  village  the  old  man 
died,  and  a  kindly  priest  took  his  body  to  a  temple, 
respectfully  burnt  it,  and  offered  up  many  holy  prayers 
for  his  good  and  loyal  soul. 

Immediately  after  Kanshiro's  death  Jimpachi  grew 
afraid  of  what  he  had  done,  and  became  so  ill  that  he 
was  forced  to  take  to  his  bed.  When  he  had  lost  all 
power  of  movement  a  great  company  of  fireflies  flew 
out  of  the  farmer's  tomb  and  surrounded  Jimpachi's 
mosquito-curtain,  and  tried  to  break  it  down.  Many  of 
the  villagers  came  to  Jimpachi's  assistance  and  killed  a 
number  of  fireflies,  but  the  stream  of  shining  insects 
that  flew  from  Kanshiro's  tomb  never  lessened.  Hun- 
288 


THE  VENGEANCE  OF  KANSHIRO 

dreds  were  killed,  but  thousands  came  to  take  their 
place.  The  room  was  ablaze  with  firefly  light,  and 
the  mosquito-curtain  sank  beneath  their  ever-increasing 
weight.  At  this  remarkable  sight  some  of  the  villagers 
murmured  :  "  Jimpachi  stole  the  old  man's  money  after 
all.  This  is  the  vengeance  of  Kanshiro." 

Even  while  they  spoke  the  curtain  broke  and  the  fire- 
flies rushed  into  the  eyes,  ears,  mouth,  and  nose  of  the 
terrified  Jimpachi.  For  twenty  days  he  screamed  aloud 
for  mercy  ;  but  no  mercy  came.  Thicker  and  thicker 
grew  the  stream  of  flashing,  angry  insects,  till  at  last 
they  killed  the  wicked  Jimpachi,  when  from  that  hour 
they  completely  disappeared. 


289 


CHAPTER  XXIV  :  CONCERNING  TEA1 

"  The  first  cup  moistens  my  lips  and  throat,  the  second 
cup  breaks  my  loneliness,  the  third  cup  searches  my  inmost 
being.  .  .  .  The  fourth  cup  raises  a  slight  perspiration — all 
the  wrong  of  life  passes  away  through  my  pores.  At  the 
fifth  cup  I  am  purified  ;  the  sixth  cup  calls  me  to  the  realms 
of  immortals.  The  seventh  cup — ah,  but  I  could  take  no 
more  !  I  only  feel  the  breath  of  cool  wind  that  rises  in 
my  sleeves.  Where  is  Horaisan  ? 2  Let  me  ride  on  this 
sweet  breeze  and  waft  away  thither." 

Lotung. 

Tea'drinking  in  England  and  Japan 

IN  England  we  regard  tea  simply  as  a  beverage,  a 
refreshing  and  mild  stimulant  over  which  ladies  are 
wont  to  gossip  with  their  neighbours.  There  is 
nothing  romantic  about  our  tea-pots  and  kettles  and 
spoons  ;  they  come  from  the  kitchen  and  are  returned  to 
the  kitchen  with  prescribed  regularity.  We  have  a  few 
stock  comments  on  the  subject  of  tea,  and  can  quote  the 
exact  price  our  grandmothers  paid  for  this  beverage. 
We  have  our  opinions  as  to  whether  it  is  best  taken 
with  or  without  sugar,  and  have  sometimes  found  it 
efficacious  in  driving  away  a  headache. 

When  tea  reached  our  own  country  in  1650  it  was 
referred  to  as  "that  excellent  and  by  all  physicians 
approved  China  drink,  called  by  the  Chineans  Tcha,  and 
by  other  nations  Tay,  alias  Tee."  In  1711  the  Spectator 
remarked  :  "  I  would  therefore  in  a  particular  manner 
recommend  these  my  speculations  to  all  well-regulated 
families  that  set  apart  an  hour  every  morning  for  tea, 
bread  and  butter  ;  and  would  earnestly  advise  them  for 

1  We  have  derived  most  of  the  material  for  this  chapter  from  The 
Book  of  Tea,  by  Okakura-Kakuzo,  and  we  warmly  commend  this  very 
charming  volume  to  those  who  are  interested  in  the  subject. 

2  The  Chinese  Paradise. 


TEA  IN  CHINA 

their  good  to  order  this  paper  to  be  punctually  served 
up  and  to  be  looked  upon  as  a  part  of  the  tea-equipage." 
Dr.  Johnson  described  himself  as  "a  hardened  and 
shameless  tea-drinker,  who  for  twenty  years  diluted  his 
meals  with  only  the  infusion  of  the  fascinating  plant  ; 
who  with  tea  amused  the  evening,  with  tea  solaced  the 
midnight,  and  with  tea  welcomed  the  morning."  But 
there  is  no  romance,  no  old  tradition  associated  with  our 
tea-drinking  in  this  country.  Perhaps  it  is  as  well 
that  the  ladies  sitting  in  our  fashionable  drawing-rooms 
are  unacquainted  with  the  grim  and  pathetic  legend 
that  narrates  how  a  Buddhist  priest  fell  asleep  during 
his  meditations.  When  he  awoke  he  cut  off  his 
offending  eyelids  and  flung  them  on  the  ground, 
where  they  were  immediately  transformed  into  the  first 
tea-plant. 

In  Japan  tea-drinking  has  become  a  ritual.  It  is  not 
so  much  a  social  function  as  a  time  for  peaceful  medi- 
tation. The  elaborate  tea  ceremonies,  cha-no-yu,  have 
their  tea-masters,  etiquette,  and  numerous  observances. 
A  cup  of  Japanese  tea  is  combined  with  spiritual  and 
artistic  enlightenment.  But  before  discussing  these  very 
interesting  ceremonies  we  must  learn  something  about 
the  significance  of  tea  in  China,  for  it  was  the  drinking 
of  this  beverage  in  the  Celestial  Kingdom,  associated 
with  the  rarest  porcelain  and  aesthetic  and  religious 
thought,  that  inspired  the  tea  cult  in  the  Land  of 
the  Gods. 

Tea  in  China 

The  tea-plant,  a  native  of  Southern  China,  was  origi- 
nally regarded  as  a  medicine.  It  was  referred  to  in  the 
classics  by  such  names  as  Tou,  Tseh,  Chung^  Khay  and 
Mingy  and  was  much  esteemed  on  account  of  its  medi- 
cinal properties.  It  was  regarded  as  an  excellent  lotion 

291 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

for  strengthening  the  eyes,  and,  moreover,  had  the  power 
to  banish  fatigue,  strengthen  the  will,  and  delight  the 
soul.  It  was  sometimes  made  in  the  form  of  a  paste, 
and  was  believed  to  be  efficacious  in  reducing  rheumatic 
pain.  The  Taoists  went  so  far  as  to  claim  that  tea  was 
one  of  the  ingredients  of  the  Elixir  of  Life,  while  the 
Buddhist  priests  drank  it  whenever  it  was  necessary  for 
them  to  meditate  during  the  long  hours  of  the  night. 

Luwuh  and  the  "Chaking" 

In  the  fourth  and  fifth  centuries  we  find  that  tea 
became  a  highly  favoured  beverage  among  the  people 

O        J  O  O  1  i 

of  the  Yangtse-Kiang  valley.  At  this  time,  too,  poets 
waxed  eloquent  in  its  praise,  and  described  it  as  the 
"  froth  of  the  liquid  jade."  But  tea  at  that  time  was  a 
very  horrible  concoction  indeed,  for  it  was  boiled  with 
rice,  salt,  ginger,  orange-peel,  and  not  infrequently  with 
onions  !  However,  Luwuh,  who  lived  in  the  eighth 
century,  discountenanced  the  strange  mixture  we  have 
just  referred  to.  He  was  the  first  Chinese  tea-master, 
and  not  only  did  he  idealize  tea,  but  he  saw,  with  keen 
poetic  insight,  that  the  ceremony  of  drinking  it  made 
for  harmony  and  order  in  daily  life. 

In  his  Chaking  ("The  Holy  Scripture  of  Tea")  he 
describes  the  nature  of  the  tea-plant,  and  how  its  leaves 
should  be  gathered  and  selected.  He  was  of  the 
opinion  that  the  best  leaves  should  have  "  creases  like 
the  leathern  boot  of  Tartar  horsemen,  curl  like  the 
dewlap  of  a  mighty  bullock,  unfold  like  a  mist  rising 
out  of  a  ravine,  gleam  like  a  lake  touched  by  a  zephyr, 
and  be  wet  and  soft  like  fine  earth  newly  swept  by  rain." 
Luwuh  describes  the  various  utensils  connected  with 
the  tea  ceremony,  and  asserts  that  the  green  beverage 
should  be  drunk  from  blue  porcelain  cups.  He  dis- 
courses on  the  subject  of  the  choice  of  water  and  the 
292 


THE  JAPANESE  TEA  CEREMONY 

manner  of  boiling  it.  In  poetical  language  he  describes 
the  three  stages  of  boiling.  He  compares  the  little 
bubbles  of  the  first  boil  with  the  eyes  of  fishes,  the 
bubbles  of  the  second  boil  with  a  fountain  crowned 
with  clustering  crystal  beads,  and  the  final  boil  is 
described  as  resembling  the  surge  of  miniature  billows. 
The  concluding  chapters  of  the  Chaking  deal  with  the 
vulgar  and  unorthodox  methods  of  drinking  tea,  and 
the  ardent  master  gives  a  list  of  celebrated  tea-drinkers, 
and  enumerates  the  famous  Chinese  tea  plantations. 
Luwuh's  fascinating  book  was  regarded  as  a  master- 
piece. He  was  sought  after  by  the  Emperor  Taisung, 
attracted  many  disciples,  and  was  regarded  as  the 
greatest  authority  on  tea  and  tea-drinking.  His  fame 
did  not  die  with  him,  for  since  his  death  Chinese  tea- 
merchants  have  worshipped  him  as  a  tutelary  god. 

The  Japanese  Tea  Ceremony 

It  is  believed  that  the  great  Buddhist  saint,  Dengyo 
Daishi,  introduced  tea  into  Japan  from  China  in 
A.D.  805.  In  any  case  tea-drinking  in  Nippon  was 
associated  with  Buddhism,  and  most  particularly  with 
the  Zen  sect,  which  had  incorporated  so  many  of  the 
Taoist  doctrines.  The  priests  of  this  order  drank  tea 
from  a  single  bowl  before  the  image  of  Bodhi  Dharma 
(Daruma).  They  did  so  in  the  spirit  of  reverence, 
and  regarded  the  tea-drinking  as  a  holy  sacrament.  It 
was  this  Zen  observance,  strictly  of  a  religious  nature, 
which  finally  developed  into  the  Japanese  tea  ceremony. 

"The  tea  ceremonies,"  writes  Professor  B.  H. 
Chamberlain,  "  have  undergone  three  transformations 
during  the  six  or  seven  hundred  years  of  their  existence. 
They  have  passed  through  a  medico-religious  stage, 
a  luxurious  stage,  and,  lastly,  an  aesthetic  stage."  In 
the  religious  stage  the  Buddhist  priest  Eisai  wrote  a 

293 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

pamphlet  entitled  The  Salutary  Influence  of  Tea-drinking, 
in  which  he  asserted  that  this  beverage  had  the 
power  to  drive  away  evil  spirits.  He  introduced  a 
religious  ceremonial  in  regard  to  the  worship  of 
ancestors,  accompanied  by  the  beating  of  drums  and 
the  burning  of  incense.  Eisai  wrote  his  tract  with  the 
intention  of  converting  Minamoto-no-Sanetomo  from 
his  vicious  love  of  the  wine-cup,  and  endeavoured  to 
show  the  superiority  of  the  tea-plant  over  the  juice  of 
the  grape. 

We  find  that  the  tea  ceremonies  for  the  time  being 
lost  their  religious  significance;  "The  DaimyOs," 
writes  Professor  Chamberlain,  "  who  daily  took  part  in 
them  reclined  on  couches  spread  with  tiger-skins  and 
leopard-skins.  The  walls  of  the  spacious  apartments 
in  which  the  guests  assembled  were  hung,  not  only  with 
Buddhist  pictures,  but  with  damask  and  brocade,  with 
gold  and  silver  vessels,  and  swords  in  splendid  sheaths. 
Precious  perfumes  were  burnt,  rare  fishes  and  strange 
birds  were  served  up  with  sweetmeats  and  wine,  and  the 
point  of  the  entertainment  consisted  in  guessing  where 
the  material  for  each  cup  of  tea  had  been  produced  ;  for 
as  many  brands  as  possible  were  brought  in,  to  serve  as  a 
puzzle  orjeu  de  societe.  .  .  .  Every  right  guess  procured 
for  him  who  made  it  the  gift  of  one  of  the  treasures  that 
were  hung  round  the  room.  But  he  was  not  allowed 
to  carry  it  away  himself.  The  rules  of  the  tea  cere- 
monies, as  then  practised,  ordained  that  all  the  things 
rich  and  rare  that  were  exhibited  must  be  given  by  their 
winners  to  the  singing-  and  dancing-girls,  troupes  of 
whom  were  present  to  help  the  company  in  their 
carousal." 

This  variety  of  tea  ceremony,  which  appears  to  have 
been  more  of  an  orgy  than  anything  else,  reflected  the 
luxurious  and  dissolute  age  in  which  it  was  practised. 
294 


THE  JAPANESE  TEA  CEREMONY 

The  tea  ceremony,  in  its  more  enduring  and  characteristic 
form,  was  destined  to  abandon  all  vulgar  display,  to 
embrace  a  certain  amount  of  religion  and  philosophy, 
and  above  all  to  afford  a  means  of  studying  art  and  the 
beauty  of  Nature.  The  tea-room  became,  not  a  place  of 
carousal,  but  a  place  where  the  wayfarer  might  find  peace 
in  solemn  meditation.  Even  the  garden  path  leading  to 
the  tea-room  had  its  symbolic  meaning,  for  it  signified 
the  first  stage  of  self-illumination.  The  following  was 
Kobori-Enshiu's  idea  of  the  path  leading  to  the  tea-room  : 

"  A  cluster  of  summer  trees, 
A  bit  of  the  sea, 
A  pale  evening  moon." 

Such  a  scene  was  intended  to  convey  to  the  wayfarer 
a  sense  of  spiritual  light.  The  trees,  sea,  and  moon 
awakened  old  dreams,  and  their  presence  made  the  guest 
eager  to  pass  into  the  greater  joys  of  the  tea-room.  No 
samurai  was  allowed  to  take  his  sword  into  the  fragrant 
sanctuary  of  peace,  and  in  many  tea-rooms  there  was  a 
low  door  through  which  the  guests  entered  with  bowed 
head,  as  a  sign  of  humility.  In  silence  the  guests  made 
obeisance  before  a  kakemono,  or  some  simple  and  beautiful 
flower  on  the  tokonoma  (alcove),  and  then  seated  them- 
selves upon  the  mats.  When  they  had  done  so  the  host 
entered  and  the  water  was  heard  to  boil  in  the  kettle  with 
a  musical  sound,  because  of  some  pieces  of  iron  which  it 
contained.  Even  the  boiling  of  the  kettle  was  associated 
with  poetical  ideas,  for  the  song  of  water  and  metal  was 
intended  to  suggest  "  the  echoes  of  a  cataract  muffled 
by  clouds,  of  a  distant  sea  breaking  among  the  rocks,  a 
rainstorm  sweeping  through  a  bamboo  forest,  or  of  the 
soughing  of  pines  on  some  far-away  hill."  There  was  a 
sense  of  harmony  in  the  tea-room.  The  light  was  like 
the  mellow  light  of  evening,  and  the  garments  of  the 

295 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 
company  were  as  quiet  and  unobtrusive  as  the  grey 
wings  of  a  moth.  In  this  peaceful  apartment  the  guests 
drank  their  tea  and  meditated,  and  went  forth  into  the 
world  again  better  and  stronger  for  having  contemplated 
in  silence  the  beautiful  and  the  noble  in  religion,  art, 
and  nature.  "  Seeking  always  to  be  in  harmony  with  the 
great  rhythm  of  the  universe,  they  were  ever  prepared 
to  enter  the  unknown." 

The  Passing  of  Rikiu 

Rikiu  was  one  of  the  greatest  of  tea-masters,  and  for 
long  he  remained  the  friend  of  Taiko-Hideyoshi ;  but  the 
age  in  which  he  lived  was  full  of  treachery.  There  were 
many  who  were  jealous  of  Rikiu,  many  who  sought  his 
death.  When  a  coldness  sprang  up  between  Hideyoshi 
and  Rikiu,  the  enemies  of  the  great  tea-master  made  use 
of  this  breach  of  friendship  by  spreading  the  report  that 
Rikiu  intended  to  add  poison  to  a  cup  of  tea  and  present 
it  to  his  distinguished  patron.  Hideyoshi  soon  heard  of 
the  rumour,  and  without  troubling  to  examine  the  matter 
he  condemned  Rikiu  to  die  by  his  own  hand. 

On  the  last  day  of  the  famous  tea-master's  life  he  in- 
vited many  of  his  disciples  to  join  with  him  in  his  final  tea 
ceremony.  As  they  walked  up  the  garden  path  it  seemed 
that  ghosts  whispered  in  the  rustling  leaves.  When  the 
disciples  entered  the  tea-room  they  saw  a  kakemono  hang- 
ing in  the  tokonoma,  and  when  they  raised  their  sorrowful 
eyes  they  saw  that  the  writing  described  the  passing  of 
all  earthly  things.  There  was  poetry  in  the  singing  of  the 
tea-kettle,  but  it  was  a  sad  song  like  the  plaintive  cry  of  an 
insect.  Rikiu  came  into  the  tea-room  calm  and  dignified, 
and,  according  to  custom,  he  allowed  the  chief  guest  to 
admire  the  various  articles  associated  with  the  tea  cere 
mony.  When  all  the  guests  had  gazed  upon  them, 
noting  their  beauty  with  a  heavy  heart,  Rikiu  presented 
296 


THE  LEGEND  OF  THE  TEA-PLANT 

each  disciple  with  a  souvenir.  He  took  his  own  cup  in  his 
hand,  and  said  :  "  Never  again  shall  this  cup,  polluted 
by  the  lips  of  misfortune,  be  used  by  man."  Having 
spoken  these  words,  he  broke  the  cup  as  a  sign  that  the 
tea  ceremony  was  over,  and  the  guests  bade  a  sad  fare- 
well and  departed.  Only  one  remained  to  witness,  not 
the  drinking  of  another  cup  of  tea,  but  the  passing  of 
Rikiu.  The  great  master  took  off  his  outer  garment, 
and  revealed  the  pure  white  robe  of  Death.  Still  calm 
and  dignified,  he  looked  upon  his  dagger,  and  then 
recited  the  following  verse  with  unfaltering  voice  : 

"  Welcome  to  thee, 
O  sword  of  eternity  ! 
Through  Buddha 
And  through  Daruma  alike 
Thou  hast  cleft  thy  way." 

He  who  loved  to  quote  the  old  poem,  "To  those 
who  long  only  for  flowers  fain  would  I  show  the 
full-blown  spring  which  abides  in  the  toiling  buds  of 
snow-covered  hills,"  has  crowned  the  Japanese  tea 
ceremony  with  an  immortal  flower. 

The  Legend  of  the  Tea-plant1 

Daruma  was  an  Indian  sage,  whose  image,  as  we  have 
already  seen,  was  associated  with  the  ritualistic  drinking 
of  tea  by  the  Zen  sect  in  Japan.  He  is  said  to  have 
been  the  son  of  a  Hindu  king,  and  received  instruction 
from  Panyatara.  When  he  had  completed  his  studies 
he  retired  to  Lo  Yang,  where  he  remained  seated  in 
meditation  for  nine  years.  During  this  period  the  sage 
was  tempted  after  the  manner  of  St.  Anthony.  He 
wrestled  with  these  temptations  by  continually  reciting 
sacred  scriptures  ;  but  the  frequent  repetition  of  the 

1  A  full  account  of  this  beautiful  legend  will  be  found  in  Lafcadio 
Hearn's  Some  Chinese  Ghosts. 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

word  "jewel  "  lost  its  spiritual  significance,  and  became 
associated  with  the  precious  stone  worn  in  the  ear  of  a 
certain  lovely  woman.  Even  the  word  "  lotus,"  so 
sacred  to  all  true  Buddhists,  ceased  to  be  the  symbol  of 
the  Lord  Buddha  and  suggested  to  Daruma  the  opening 
of  a  girl's  fair  mouth.  His  temptations  increased, 
and  he  was  transported  to  an  Indian  city,  where  he 
found  himself  among  a  vast  crowd  of  worshippers.  He 
saw  strange  deities  with  horrible  symbols  upon  their 
foreheads,  and  Rajahs  and  Princes  riding  upon  elephants, 
surrounded  by  a  great  company  of  dancing-girls.  The 
great  crowd  of  people  surged  forward,  and  Daruma  with 
them,  till  they  came  to  a  temple  with  innumerable  pin- 
nacles, a  temple  covered  with  a  multitude  of  foul  forms, 
and  it  seemed  to  Daruma  that  he  met  and  kissed  the 
woman  who  had  changed  the  meaning  of  jewel  and 
lotus.  Then  suddenly  the  vision  departed,  and  Daruma 
awoke  to  find  himself  sitting  under  the  Chinese  sky. 
The  sage,  who  had  fallen  asleep  during  his  meditation, 
was  truly  penitent  for  the  neglect  of  his  devotions,  and, 
taking  a  knife  from  his  girdle,  he  cut  off  his  eyelids  and 
cast  them  upon  the  ground,  saying  :  "  O  Thou  Perfectly 
Awakened  !  "  The  eyelids  were  transformed  into  the 
tea-plant,  from  which  was  made  a  beverage  that  would 
repel  slumber  and  allow  good  Buddhist  priests  to  keep 
their  vigils. 

Daruma 

Daruma  is  generally  represented  without  legs,  for 
according  to  one  version  of  the  legend  we  have  just 
given  he  lost  his  limbs  as  the  result  of  the  nine-year 
meditation.  Netsu^e  1-carvers  depict  him  in  a  full,  bag- 

1  "  Originally  a  kind  of  toggle  for  the  medicine-box  or  tobacco- 
pouch,  carved  out  of  wood  or  ivory." — Things  Japanese,  by  B.  H. 
Chamberlain. 


DARUMA 

like  garment,  with  a  scowling  face  and  lidless  eyes. 
He  is  sometimes  presented  in  Japanese  art  as  being 
surrounded  with  cobwebs,  and  there  is  a  very  subtle 
variation  of  the  saint  portrayed  as  a  female  Daruma, 
which  is  nothing  less  than  a  playful  jest  against  Japanese 
women,  who  could  not  be  expected  to  remain  silent 
for  nine  years  !  An  owl  is  frequently  associated  with 
Daruma,  and  in  his  journey  to  Japan  he  is  pictured  as 
standing  on  waves,  supported  by  a  millet  stalk.  Three 
years  after  Daruma's  death  he  was  seen  walking  across 
the  western  mountains  of  China,  and  it  was  observed 
that  he  carried  one  shoe  in  his  right  hand.  When 
Daruma's  tomb  was  opened  by  the  order  of  the 
Emperor  it  was  found  only  to  contain  a  shoe,  which 
the  saint  had  forgotten  to  take  away  with  him.1 

1  Reference  to  Yuki-Daruma,  or  Snow-Daruma,  and  toy-Daruma, 
called  Oktagari-koboshi  ("  The  Getting-up  Little  Priest "),  will  be 
found  in  Lafcadio  Hearn's  A  Japanese  Miscellany. 


299 


v^ 


CHAPTER  XXV  :  LEGENDS  OF  THE 
WEIRD1 

"H6ichi'the'Earless" 

IN  the  stories  concerning  Yoshitsune  and  his  loyal 
retainer  Benkei  we   have  already  referred  to  the 
battle  of  Dan-no-ura,  the  last  conflict  between  the 
Taira  and  Minamoto  clans.2     In  this  great  sea-fight  the 
Taira  perished,  including  their  infant  Emperor,  Antoku 
Tenno.     Thus  is  the  memorable  scene  described  in  the 
Heike  Monogatari^  translated  by  Dr.  W.  G.  Aston  : 

" c  This  world  is  the  region  of  sorrow,  a  remote  spot 
small  as  a  grain  of  millet.  But  beneath  the  waves  there 
is  a  fair  city  called  the  Pure  Land  of  Perfect  Happiness. 
Thither  it  is  that  I  am  taking  you/  With  such  words 
she  soothed  him.  The  child  then  tied  his  top-knot  to 
the  Imperial  robe  of  the  colour  of  a  mountain-dove,  and 
tearfully  joined  together  his  lovely  little  hands.  First 
he  turned  to  the  East,  and  bade  adieu  to  the  shrine  of 
the  great  God  of  Ise  and  the  shrine  of  Hachiman. 
Next  he  turned  to  the  West,  and  called  upon  the  name 
of  Buddha.  When  he  had  done  so,  Niidono  made 
bold  to  take  him  in  her  arms,  and,  soothing  him  with 
the  words,  c  There  is  a  city  away  below  the  waves,' 
sank  down  to  the  bottom  one  thousand  fathoms  deep." 

It  is  said  that  for  seven  hundred  years  after  this 
great  battle  the  sea  and  coast  in  the  vicinity  have  been 
haunted  by  the  ghosts  of  the  Taira  clan.  Mysterious 
fires  shone  on  the  waves,  and  the  air  was  filled  with  the 
noise  of  warfare.  In  order  to  pacify  the  unfortunate 
spirits  the  temple  of  Amidaji  was  built  at  Akamagaseki, 
and  a  cemetery  was  made  close  by,  in  which  were  various 

1  The  legends  in  this  chapter  are  adapted  from  stories  in  Lafcadio 
Ream's  Kwaldan  and  Glimpses  of  Unfamiliar  Japan. 

2  See  Chapter  II. 
300 


"  HOiCHLTHE^EARLESS  " 

monuments  inscribed  with  the  names  of  the  drowned 
Emperor  and  his  principal  followers.  This  temple  and 
cemetery  pacified  the  ghostly  visitants  to  a  certain  extent, 
but  from  time  to  time  many  strange  things  happened,  as 
we  shall  gather  from  the  following  legend. 

There  once  lived  at  the  Amidaji  temple  a  blind 
priest  named  Ho'ichi.  He  was  famous  for  his  recitation 
and  for  his  marvellous  skill  in  playing  upon  the  biwa 
(a  four-stringed  lute),  and  he  was  particularly  fond  of 
reciting  stories  in  connection  with  the  protracted  war 
between  the  Taira  and  Minamoto  clans. 

One  night  Ho'fchi  was  left  alone  in  the  temple,  and  as 
it  was  a  very  warm  evening  he  sat  out  on  the  verandah, 
playing  now  and  again  upon  his  biwa.  While  thus 
occupied  he  heard  some  one  approaching,  some  one 
stepping  across  the  little  back  garden  of  the  temple. 
Then  a  deep  voice  cried  out  from  below  the  verandah  : 
"  Hcvfchi  !  "  Yet  again  the  voice  sounded  :  "  HoYchi  !  " 

Holchi,  now  very  much  alarmed,  replied  that  he 
was  blind,  and  would  be  glad  to  know  who  his  visitor 
might  be. 

"  My  lord,"  began  the  stranger,  "  is  now  staying  at 
Akamagaseki  with  many  noble  followers,  and  he  has 
come  for  the  purpose  of  viewing  the  scene  of  the  battle 
of  Dan-no-ura.  He  has  heard  how  excellently  you 
recite  the  story  of  the  conflict,  and  has  commanded  me 
to  escort  you  to  him  in  order  that  you  may  show  him 
your  skill.  Bring  your  biwa  and  follow  me.  My  lord 
and  his  august  assembly  now  await  your  honourable 
presence." 

Ho'fchi,  deeming  that  the  stranger  was  some  noble 
samurai,  obeyed  immediately.  He  donned  his  sandals 
and  took  his  biwa.  The  stranger  guided  him  with 
an  iron  hand,  and  they  marched  along  very  quickly. 
HcVfchi  heard  the  clank  of  armour  at  his  side  ;  but  all 

301 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

fear  left  him,  and  he  looked  forward  to  the  honour  of 
showing  his  skill  before  a  distinguished  company. 

Arriving  at  a  gate,  the  stranger  shouted  :  "  Kaimon  !  " 
Immediately  the  gate  was  unbarred  and  opened,  and  the 
two  men  passed  in.  Then  came  the  sound  of  many 
hurrying  feet,  and  a  rustling  noise  as  of  screens  being 
opened.  Ho'ichi  was  assisted  in  mounting  a  number  of 
steps,  and,  arriving  at  the  top,  he  was  commanded  to 
leave  his  sandals.  A  woman  then  led  him  forward  by 
the  hand  till  he  found  himself  in  a  vast  apartment, 
where  he  judged  that  a  great  company  of  people  were 
assembled.  He  heard  the  subdued  murmur  of  voices 
and  the  soft  movement  of  silken  garments.  When 
Ho'ichi  had  seated  himself  on  a  cushion  the  woman 
who  had  led  him  bade  him  recite  the  story  of  the  great 
battle  of  Dan-no-ura. 

Ho'ichi  began  to  chant  to  the  accompaniment  of  his 
biwa.  His  skill  was  so  great  that  the  strings  of  his 
instrument  seemed  to  imitate  the  sound  of  oars,  the 
movement  of  ships,  the  shouting  of  men,  the  noise 
of  surging  waves,  and  the  whirring  of  arrows.  A  low 
murmur  of  applause  greeted  Ho'ichi's  wonderful  per- 
formance. Thus  encouraged,  he  continued  to  sing  and 
play  with  even  greater  skill.  When  he  came  to  chant  of 
the  perishing  of  the  women  and  children,  the  plunge 
of  Niidono  into  the  sea  with  the  infant  Emperor  in 
her  arms,  the  company  began  to  weep  and  wail. 

When  the  performance  was  over  the  woman  who  had 
led  Ho'ichi  told  him  that  her  lord  was  well  pleased  with 
his  skill,  and  that  he  desired  him  to  play  before  him  for 
the  six  following  nights.  "  The  retainer,"  added  she, 
"who  brought  you  to-night  will  visit  your  temple  at 
the  same  hour  to-morrow.  You  must  keep  these  visits 
secret,  and  may  now  return  to  your  abode." 

Once  more  the  woman  led  Ho'ichi  through  the  apart- 
302 


"  HOICHLTHE'EARLESS  " 

ment,  and  having  reached  the  steps  the  same  retainer 
led  him  back  to  the  verandah  at  the  back  of  the  temple 
where  he  lived. 

The  next  night  Ho'ichi  was  again  led  forth  to  enter- 
tain the  assembly,  and  he  met  with  the  same  success. 
But  this  time  his  absence  was  detected,  and  upon  his 
return  his  fellow  priest  questioned  him  in  regard  to  the 
matter.  Ho'lchi  evaded  his  friend's  question,  and  told 
him  that  he  had  merely  been  out  to  attend  some  private 
business. 

His  questioner  was  by  no  means  satisfied.  He 
regretted  Hcvfchi's  reticence  and  feared  that  there  was 
something  wrong,  possibly  that  the  blind  priest  had 
been  bewitched  by  evil  spirits.  He  bade  the  men- 
servants  keep  a  strict  watch  upon  Ho'fchi,  and  to  follow 
him  if  he  should  again  leave  the  temple  during  the 
night. 

Once  more  Ho'fchi  left  his  abode.  The  men-ser- 
vants hastily  lit  their  lanterns  and  followed  him  with  all 
speed ;  but  though  they  walked  quickly,  looked  every- 
where, and  made  numerous  inquiries,  they  failed  to 
discover  Ho'ichi,  or  learn  anything  concerning  him.  On 
their  return,  however,  they  were  alarmed  to  hear  the 
sound  of  a  biwa  in  the  cemetery  of  the  temple,  and  on 
entering  this  gloomy  place  they  discovered  the  blind 
priest.  He  sat  at  the  tomb  of  Antoku  Tenno,  the  infant 
Emperor,  where  he  twanged  his  biwa  loudly,  and  as 
loudly  chanted  the  story  of  the  battle  of  Dan-no-ura. 
About  him  on  every  side  mysterious  fires  glowed,  like 
a  great  gathering  of  lighted  candles. 

"  Ho'fchi !  Ho'fchi !  "  shouted  the  men.  "  Stop  your 
playing  at  once  !  You  are  bewitched,  Hcvfchi !  "  But 
the  blind  priest  continued  to  play  and  sing,  rapt,  it 
seemed,  in  a  strange  and  awful  dream. 

The   men-servants    now   resorted  to  more   extreme 

303 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

measures.     They  shook  him,  and  shouted  in  his  ear  : 
"  Ho'fchi,  come  back  with  us  at  once  !  " 

The  blind  priest  rebuked  them,  and  said  that  such  an 
interruption  would  not  be  tolerated  by  the  noble  assembly 
about  him. 

The  men  now  dragged  HcVfchi  away  by  force.  When 
he  reached  the  temple  his  wet  clothes  were  taken  off 
and  food  and  drink  set  before  him. 

By  this  time  Ho'ichi's  fellow  priest  was  extremely 
angry,  and  he  not  unjustly  insisted  upon  a  full  explana- 
tion of  his  extraordinary  behaviour.  HoTchi,  after  much 
hesitation,  told  his  friend  all  that  had  happened  to  him. 
When  he  had  narrated  his  strange  adventures,  the  priest 
said: 

"  My  poor  fellow  !  You  ought  to  have  told  me  this 
before.  You  have  not  been  visiting  a  great  house  of  a 
noble  lord,  but  you  have  been  sitting  in  yonder  ceme- 
tery before  the  tomb  of  Antoku  Ten  no.  Your  great 
skill  has  called  forth  the  ghosts  of  the  Taira  clan. 
Ho'ichi,  you  are  in  great  danger,  for  by  obeying  these 
spirits  you  have  assuredly  put  yourself  in  their  power, 
and  sooner  or  later  they  will  kill  you.  Unfortunately 
I  am  called  away  to-night  to  perform  a  service,  but 
before  I  go  I  will  see  that  your  body  is  covered  with 
sacred  texts. " 

Before  night  approached  Holchi  was  stripped,  and 
upon  his  body  an  acolyte  inscribed,  with  writing-brushes, 
the  text  of  the  sutra  known  as  Hannya-Shin-Kyv.  These 
texts  were  written  upon  Ho'fchi's  breast,  head,  back, 
face,  neck,  legs,  arms,  and  feet,  even  upon  the  soles 
thereof. 

Then  the  priest  said  :  "  HcVfchi,  you  will  be  called 
again  to-night.     Remain  silent,  sit  very  still,  and  con- 
tinually meditate.     If  you  do  these  things  no  harm  will 
befall  you." 
304 


Ho'fchi-the-Earless. 


304 


THE  CORPSEJEATER 

That  night  HoKchi  sat  alone  in  the  verandah,  scarcely 
moving  a  muscle  and  breathing  very  softly. 

Once  more  he  heard  the  sound  of  footsteps. 
"HcVfchi!"  cried  a  deep  voice.  But  the  blind  priest 
made  no  answer.  He  sat  very  still,  full  of  a  great 
fear. 

His  name  was  called  over  and  over  again,  but  to  no 
effect.     "This  won't  do,"  growled  the  stranger.     "I 
must  see  where  the  fellow  is."     The  stranger  sprang 
into  the  verandah  and  stood  beside  HcVfchi,  who  was  now 
shaking  all  over  with  the  horror  of  the  situation. 

"  Ah  !  "  said  the  stranger.  "  This  is  the  biwa,  but  in 
place  of  the  player  I  see — only  two  ears  !  Now  I  under- 
stand why  he  did  not  answer.  He  has  no  mouth,  only 
his  two  ears  !  Those  ears  I  will  take  to  my  lord  ! " 

In  another  moment  Hcvfchi's  ears  were  torn  off,  but  in 
spite  of  the  fearful  pain  the  blind  priest  remained  mute. 
Then  the  stranger  departed,  and  when  his  footsteps  had 
died  away  the  only  sound  Ho'ichi  heard  was  the  trickling 
of  blood  upon  the  verandah,  and  thus  the  priest  found 
the  unfortunate  man  upon  his  return. 

"  Poor  Hctfchi !  "  cried  the  priest.  "  It  is  all  my 
fault.  I  trusted  my  acolyte  to  write  sacred  texts  on 
every  part  of  your  body.  He  failed  to  do  so  on  your 
ears.  I  ought  to  have  seen  that  he  carried  out  my 
instructions  properly.  However,  you  will  never  be 
troubled  with  those  spirits  in  future."  From  that  day 
the  blind  priest  was  known  as  £Mimi-nashi-Hv'tchiy 
"  Ho'fchi-the-Earless." 

The  Corpse'eater 

Muso  Kokushi,  a  priest,  lost  his  way  while  travelling 
through  the  province  of  Mino.  Despairing  of  finding  a 
human  abode,  he  was  about  to  sleep  out  in  the  open,  when 
he  chanced  to  discover  a  little  hermitage,  called  anjitsu. 

v  305 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

An  aged  priest  greeted  him,  and  MusO  requested  that  he 
would  give  him  shelter  for  the  night.  "  No,"  replied  the 
old  priest  angrily,  "  I  never  give  shelter  to  any  one.  In 
yonder  valley  you  will  find  a  certain  hamlet ;  seek  a 
night's  repose  there." 

With  these  rather  uncivil  words,  MusO  took  his 
departure,  and  reaching  the  hamlet  indicated  he  was 
hospitably  received  at  the  headman's  dwelling.  On 
entering  the  principal  apartment,  the  priest  saw  a  number 
of  people  assembled  together.  He  was  shown  into  a 
separate  room,  and  was  about  to  fall  asleep,  when  he 
heard  the  sound  of  lamentation,  and  shortly  afterwards  a 
young  man  appeared  before  him,  holding  a  lantern  in 
his  hand. 

"Good  priest,"  said  he,  "I  must  tell  you  that  my 
father  has  recently  died.  We  did  not  like  to  explain  the 
matter  upon  your  arrival,  because  you  were  tired  and 
much  needed  rest.  The  number  of  people  you  saw  in 
the  principal  apartment  had  come  to  pay  their  respects  to 
the  dead.  Now  we  must  all  go  away,  for  that  is  the 
custom  in  our  village  when  any  one  dies,  because  strange 
and  terrible  things  happen  to  corpses  when  they  are  left 
alone  ;  but  perhaps,  being  a  priest,  you  will  not  be  afraid 
to  remain  with  my  poor  father's  body." 

MusO  replied  that  he  was  in  no  way  afraid,  and  told 
the  young  man  that  he  would  perform  a  service,  and 
watch  by  the  deceased  during  the  company's  absence. 
Then  the  young  man,  together  with  the  other  mourners, 
left  the  house,  and  MusO  remained  to  perform  his 
solitary  night  vigil. 

After  Muso  had  undertaken  the  funeral  ceremonies, 
he  sat  meditating  for  several  hours.  When  the  night 
had  far  advanced,  he  was  aware  of  the  presence  of  a 
strange  Shape,  so  terrible  in  aspect  that  the  priest  could 
neither  move  nor  speak.  The  Shape  advanced,  raised 
306 


THE  CORPSE^EATER 

the  corpse,  and  quickly  devoured  it.  Not  content  with 
this  horrible  meal,  the  mysterious  form  also  ate  the 
offerings,  and  then  vanished. 

The  next  morning  the  villagers  returned,  and  they 
expressed  no  surprise  on  hearing  that  the  corpse  had 
disappeared.  After  MusO  had  narrated  his  strange 
adventure  he  inquired  if  the  priest  on  the  hill  did  not 
sometimes  perform  the  funeral  service.  "  I  visited  him 
last  night  at  his  anjitsu,  and  though  he  refused  me 
shelter,  he  told  me  where  I  might  rest." 

The  villagers  were  amazed  at  these  words,  and 
informed  MusO  that  there  was  certainly  no  priest  and 
no  anjitsu  on  yonder  hill.  They  were  positive  in 
their  assertion,  and  assured  MusO  that  he  had  been 
deluded  in  the  matter  by  some  evil  spirit.  MusO  did 
not  reply,  and  shortly  afterwards  he  took  his  departure, 
determined  if  possible  to  unravel  the  mystery. 

MusO  had  no  difficulty  in  finding  the  anjitsu  again. 
The  old  priest  came  out  to  him,  bowed,  and  exclaimed 
that  he  was  sorry  for  his  former  rudeness.  "  I  am 
ashamed,"  added  he,  "  not  only  because  I  gave  you  no 
shelter,  but  because  you  have  seen  my  real  shape. 
You  have  seen  me  devour  a  corpse  and  the  funeral 
offerings.  Alas  !  good  sir,  I  am  zjikininki  [man-eating 
goblin],  and  if  you  will  bear  with  me  I  will  explain  my 
wretched  condition. 

"  Many  years  ago  I  used  to  be  a  priest  in  this  district, 
and  I  performed  a  great  number  of  burial  services  ;  but 
I  was  not  a  good  priest,  for  I  was  not  influenced  by  true 
religion  in  performing  my  tasks,  and  thought  only  of 
the  good  and  fine  clothes  I  could  get  out  of  my  calling. 
For  that  reason  I  was  reborn  zithninkiy  and  have  ever 
since  devoured  the  corpses  of  all  those  who  died  in  this 
district.  I  beg  that  you  will  have  pity  on  my  miserable 
plight,  and  repeat  certain  prayers  on  my  behalf,  that  I 

307 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

may  speedily  find  peace  and  make  an  end  of  my  great 
wickedness." 

Immediately  after  these  words  had  been  spoken,  the 
recluse  and  his  hermitage  suddenly  vanished,  and  Muso 
found  himself  kneeling  beside  a  moss-covered  tomb, 
which  was  probably  the  tomb  of  the  unfortunate 
priest. 

The  Ghost  Mother 

A  pale-faced  woman  crept  down  a  street  called 
Nakabaramachi,  entered  a  certain  shop,  and  purchased 
a  small  quantity  of  midzu-ame?-  Every  night,  at  a  late 
hour,  she  came,  always  haggard  of  countenance  and 
always  silent.  The  shopkeeper,  who  took  a  kindly 
interest  in  her,  followed  her  one  night,  but  seeing  that 
she  entered  a  cemetery,  he  turned  back,  puzzled  and 
afraid. 

Once  again  the  mysterious  woman  came  to  the  little 
shop,  and  this  time  she  did  not  buy  midzu-ame^  but 
beckoned  the  shopkeeper  to  follow  her.  Down  the 
street  went  the  pale-faced  woman,  followed  by  the  seller 
of  amber  syrup  and  some  of  his  friends.  When  they 
reached  the  cemetery  the  woman  disappeared  into  a 
tomb,  and  those  without  heard  the  weeping  of  a  child. 
When  the  tomb  was  opened  they  saw  the  corpse  of  the 
woman  they  had  followed,  and  by  her  side  a  living 
child,  laughing  at  the  lantern-light  and  stretching  forth 
its  little  hands  towards  a  cup  of  mtdzu-ame.  The 
woman  had  been  prematurely  buried  and  her  babe  born 
in  the  tomb.  Every  night  the  silent  mother  went  forth 
from  the  cemetery  in  order  that  she  might  bring  back 
nourishment  for  her  child. 

1  A  syrup  made  from  malt  and  given  to  children  when  milk  is  not 
available. 


THE  FUTON  OF  TOTTORI 

The  Futon  of  Tottori 

In  Tottori  there  was  a  small  and  modest  inn.  It  was 
a  new  inn,  and  as  the  landlord  was  poor  he  had  been 
compelled  to  furnish  it  with  goods  purchased  from  a 
second-hand  shop  in  the  vicinity.  His  first  guest  was 
a  merchant,  who  was  treated  with  extreme  courtesy  and 
given  much  warm  sakt.  When  the  merchant  had  drunk 
the  refreshing  rice  wine  he  retired  to  rest  and  soon  fell 
asleep.  He  had  not  slumbered  long  when  he  heard  the 
sound  of  children's  voices  in  his  room,  crying  pitifully  : 
"  Elder  Brother  probably  is  cold  ?"  "  Nay,  thou  prob- 
ably art  cold  ?  "  Over  and  over  again  the  children 
repeated  these  plaintive  words.  The  merchant,  thinking 
that  children  had  strayed  into  his  room  by  mistake, 
mildly  rebuked  them  and  prepared  to  go  to  sleep  again. 
After  a  moment's  silence  the  children  again  cried  : 
"  Elder  Brother  probably  is  cold  ? "  "  Nay,  thou  prob- 
ably art  cold  ? " 

The  guest  arose,  lit  the  andon  (night-light),  and  pro- 
ceeded to  examine  the  room.  But  there  was  no  one  in 
the  apartment ;  the  cupboards  were  empty,  and  all  the 
shvji  (paper-screens)  were  closed.  The  merchant  lay 
down  again,  puzzled  and  amazed.  Once  more  he  heard 
the  cry,  close  to  his  pillow  :  "  Elder  Brother  probably 
is  cold?"  "Nay,  thou  probably  art  cold?"  The 
cries  were  repeated,  and  the  guest,  cold  with  horror, 
found  that  the  voices  proceeded  from  his  futon  (quilt). 

He  hurriedly  descended  the  stairs  and  told  the  inn- 
keeper what  had  happened.  The  landlord  was  angry. 
"  You  have  drunk  too  much  warm  sake,"  said  he. 
"  Warm  sake  has  brought  you  evil  dreams."  But  the 
guest  paid  his  bill  and  sought  lodging  elsewhere. 

On  the  following  night  another  guest  slept  in  the 
haunted  room,  and  he,  too,  heard  the  same  mysterious 

309 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

voices,  rated  the  innkeeper,  and  hastily  took  his  de- 
parture. The  landlord  then  entered  the  apartment 
himself.  He  heard  the  pitiful  cries  of  children  coming 
from  one  futon,  and  now  was  forced  to  believe  the 
strange  story  his  two  guests  had  told  him. 

The  next  day  the  landlord  went  to  the  second-hand 
shop  where  he  had  purchased  the  futon,  and  made 
inquiries.  After  going  from  one  shop  to  another,  he 
finally  heard  the  following  story  of  the  mysterious 
futon  : 

There  once  lived  in  Tottori  a  poor  man  and  his  wife, 
with  two  children,  boys  of  six  and  eight  years  respec- 
tively. The  parents  died,  and  the  poor  children  were 
forced  to  sell  their  few  belongings,  until  one  day  they 
were  left  with  only  a  thin  and  much-worn  futon  to  cover 
them  at  night.  At  last  they  had  no  money  to  pay  the 
rent,  and  not  even  the  wherewithal  to  purchase  food  of 
any  kind. 

When  the  period  of  the  greatest  cold  came,  the  snow 
gathered  so  thickly  about  the  humble  dwelling  that  the 
children  could  do  nothing  but  wrap  the  futon  about 
them,  and  murmur  to  each  other  in  their  sweet,  pathetic 
way  :  "Elder  Brother  probably  is  cold  ?"  "  Nay,  thou 
probably  art  cold  ? "  And  sobbing  forth  these  words 
they  clung  together,  afraid  of  the  darkness  and  of  the 
bitter,  shrieking  wind. 

While  their  poor  little  bodies  nestled  together, 
striving  to  keep  each  other  warm,  the  hard-hearted 
landlord  entered,  and  finding  that  there  was  no  one 
to  pay  the  rent,  he  turned  the  children  out  of  the 
house,  each  clad  only  in  one  thin  kimono.  They  tried 
to  reach  a  temple  of  Kwannon,  but  the  snow  was  too 
heavy,  and  they  hid  behind  their  old  home.  A  futon 
of  snow  covered  them  and  they  fell  asleep  on  the 
merciful  bosom  of  the  Gods,  and  were  finally  buried  in 
310 


A  TEST  OF  LOVE 

the  cemetery  of  the  Temple  of  Kwannon-of-the-Thou- 
sand-Arms. 

When  the  innkeeper  heard  this  sad  story  he  gave  the 
futon  to  the  priests  of  the  Kwannon  temple,  prayers 
were  recited  for  the  children's  souls,  and  from  that  hour 
the  futon  ceased  to  murmur  its  plaintive  cries. 

The  Return 

In  the  village  of  Mochida-no-ura  there  lived  a  peasant. 
He  was  extremely  poor,  but,  notwithstanding,  his  wife 
bore  him  six  children.  Directly  a  child  was  born,  the 
cruel  father  flung  it  into  a  river  and  pretended  that  it 
had  died  at  birth,  so  that  his  six  children  were  murdered 
in  this  horrible  way. 

At  length,  as  years  went  by,  the  peasant  found  himself 
in  a  more  prosperous  position,  and  when  a  seventh  child 
was  born,  a  boy,  he  was  much  gratified  and  loved  him 
dearly. 

One  night  the  father  took  the  child  in  his  arms,  and 
wandered  out  into  the  garden,  murmuring  ecstatically : 
"What  a  beautiful  summer  night  !  " 

The  babe,  then  only  five  months  old,  for  a  moment 
assumed  the  speech  of  a  man,  saying  :  "  The  moon  looks 
just  as  it  did  when  you  last  threw  me  in  the  river  !  " 

When  the  infant  had  uttered  these  words  he  became 
like  other  children  ;  but  the  peasant,  now  truly  realising 
the  enormity  of  his  crime,  from  that  day  became  a  priest. 

A  Test  of  Love 

There  was  once  a  certain  fair  maiden  who,  con- 
trary to  Japanese  custom,  was  permitted  to  choose  her 
own  husband.  Many  suitors  sought  her  hand,  and  they 
brought  her  gifts  and  fair  poems,  and  said  many  loving 
words  to  her.  She  spoke  kindly  to  each  suitor,  saying  : 
"  I  will  marry  the  man  who  is  brave  enough  to  bear  a 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

certain  test  I  shall  impose  upon  him,  and  whatever  that 
test  of  love  may  be,  I  expect  him,  on  the  sacred  honour 
of  a  samurai,  not  to  divulge  it."  The  suitors  readily 
complied  with  these  conditions,  but  one  by  one  they  left 
her,  with  horror  upon  their  faces,  ceased  their  wooing, 
but  breathed  never  a  word  concerning  the  mysterious 
and  awful  secret. 

At  length  a  poor  samurai,  whose  sword  was  his  only 
wealth,  came  to  the  maiden,  and  informed  her  that  he  was 
prepared  to  go  through  any  test,  however  severe,  in  order 
that  he  might  make  her  his  wife. 

When  they  had  supped  together  the  maiden  left 
the  apartment,  and  long  after  midnight  returned  clad 
in  a  white  garment.  They  went  out  of  the  house 
together,  through  innumerable  streets  where  dogs 
howled,  and  beyond  the  city,  till  they  came  to  a  great 
cemetery.  Here  the  maiden  led  the  way  while  the  samurai 
followed,  his  hand  upon  his  sword. 

When  the  wooer  was  able  to  penetrate  the  darkness  he 
saw  that  the  maiden  was  digging  the  ground  with  a  spade. 
She  dug  with  extreme  haste,  and  eventually  tore  off 
the  lid  of  a  coffin.  In  another  moment  she  snatched  up 
the  corpse  of  a  child,  tore  offan  arm,  broke  it,  and  com- 
menced to  eat  one  piece,  flinging  the  other  to  her  wooer, 
crying  :  "  If  you  love  me,  eat  what  I  eat  !  " 

Without  a  moment's  hesitation  the  samurai  sat  down  by 
the  grave  and  began  to  eat  one  half  of  the  arm.  "  Excel- 
lent !  "  he  cried,  "  I  pray  you  give  me  more  !  "  At  this 
point  of  the  legend  the  horror  happily  disappears,  for 
neither  the  samurai  nor  the  maiden  ate  a  corpse — the  arm 
was  made  of  delicious  confectionery  ! 

The  maiden,  with  a  cry  of  joy,  sprang  to  her  feet,  and 
said  :  "  At  last  I  have  found  a  brave  man  !     I  will  marry 
you,  for  you  are  the  husband  I  have  ever  longed  for,  and 
until  this  night  have  never  found. " 
312 


CHAPTER  XXVI :  THREE  MAIDENS 

The  Maiden  of  Unai 

THE  Maiden  of  Unai  dwelt  with  her  parents  in 
the  village  of  Ashin6ya.  She  was  extremely 
beautiful,  and  it  so  happened  that  she  had  two 
most  ardent  and  persistent  lovers — Mubara,  who  was  a 
native  of  the  same  countryside,  and  Chinu,  who  came  from 
Izumi.  These  two  lovers  might  very  well  have  been 
twins,  for  they  resembled  each  other  in  age,  face,  figure, 
and  stature.  Unfortunately,  however,  they  both  loved 
her  with  an  equal  passion,  so  that  it  was  impossible  to  dis- 
tinguish between  them.  Their  gifts  were  the  same,  and 
there  appeared  to  be  no  difference  in  their  manner  of 
courting.  We  get  a  good  idea  of  the  formidable  aspect 
of  these  two  lovers  in  the  following,  taken  from  Mushi- 
maro's  poem  on  the  subject : 

"  With  jealous  love  these  champions  twain 

The  beauteous  girl  did  woo  ; 
Each  had  his  hand  on  the  hilt  of  his  sword, 
And  a  full-charged  quiver,  too, 

"  Was  slung  o'er  the  back  of  each  champion  fierce, 

And  a  bow  of  snow-white  wood 
Did  rest  in  the  sinewy  hand  of  each  ; 
And  the  twain  defiant  stood." 

Trans,  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

In  the  meantime,  the  Maiden  of  Unai  grew  sick  at 
heart.  She  never  accepted  the  gifts  of  either  Mubara 
or  Chinu,  and  yet  it  distressed  her  to  see  them  standing 
at  the  gate  month  after  month,  never  relaxing  for  a 
moment  the  ardent  expression  of  their  feeling  toward  her. 

The  Maiden  of  Unai's  parents  do  not  seem  to  have 
appreciated  the  complexity  of  the  situation,  for  they  said 
to  her  :  "  Sad  it  is  for  us  to  have  to  bear  the  burden  of 
thine  unseemly  conduct  in  thus  carelessly  from  month  to 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

month,  and  from  year  to  year,  causing  others  to  sorrow. 
If  thou  wilt  accept  the  one,  after  a  little  time  the  other's 
love  will  cease." 

These  well-meant  words  brought  no  consolation  or 
assistance  to  the  poor  Maiden  of  Unai,  so  her  parents 
sent  for  the  lovers,  explained  the  pitiful  situation,  and 
decided  that  he  who  should  shoot  a  water-bird  swimming 
in  the  river  Ikuta,  which  flowed  by  the  platform  on 
which  the  house  was  built,  should  have  their  daughter 
in  marriage. 

The  lovers  were  delighted  at  this  decision,  and 
anxious  to  put  an  end  to  this  cruel  suspense.  They 
pulled  their  bow-strings  at  the  same  instant,  and 
together  their  arrows  struck  the  bird,  one  in  the  head 
and  the  other  in  the  tail,  so  that  neither  could  claim  to 
be  the  better  marksman.  When  the  Maiden  of  Unai 
saw  how  entirely  hopeless  the  whole  affair  was,  she 
exclaimed : 

"  Enough,  enough  !  yon  swiftly  flowing  wave 
Shall  free  my  soul  from  her  long  anxious  strife : 
Men  call  fair  Settsu's  stream  the  stream  of  life, 
But  in  that  stream  shall  be  the  maiden's  grave  ! " 

Trans,  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

With  these  melodramatic  words  she  flung  herself  from 
the  platform  into  the  surging  water  beneath. 

The  maid's  parents,  who  witnessed  the  scene,  shouted 
and  raved  on  the  platform,  while  the  devoted  lovers 
sprang  into  the  river.  One  held  the  maiden's  foot,  and 
the  other  her  hand,  and  in  a  moment  the  three  sank 
and  perished.  In  due  time  the  maiden  was  buried  with 
her  lovers  on  either  side,  and  to  this  day  the  spot  is 
known  as  the  "Maiden's  Grave."  In  the  grave  of 
Mubara  there  was  a  hollow  bamboo-cane,  together 
with  a  bow,  a  quiver,  and  a  long  sword ;  but  nothing 
had  been  placed  in  the  grave  of  Chinu. 
3H 


The  Maiden  of  Unai. 


THE  GRAVE  OF  THE  MAIDEN  OF  UNAI 

Some  time  afterwards  a  stranger  happened  to  pass 
one  night  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  grave,  and  he 
was  suddenly  disturbed  by  hearing  the  sound  of 
fighting.  He  sent  his  retainers  to  inquire  into  the 
matter,  but  they  returned  to  him  saying  they  could 
hear  or  see  nothing  of  an  unusual  nature.  While  the 
stranger  pondered  over  the  love-story  of  the  Maiden  of 
Unai  he  fell  asleep.  He  had  no  sooner  done  so  than 
he  saw  before  him,  kneeling  on  the  ground,  a  blood- 
stained man,  who  told  him  that  he  was  much  harassed 
by  the  persecutions  of  an  enemy,  and  begged  that  the 
stranger  would  lend  him  his  sword.  This  request  was 
reluctantly  granted.  When  the  stranger  awoke  he  was 
inclined  to  think  the  whole  affair  a  dream  ;  but  it  was  no 
passing  fantasy  of  the  night,  for  not  only  was  his  sword 
missing,  but  he  heard  near  at  hand  the  sound  of  a  great 
combat.  Then  the  clash  of  weapons  suddenly  ceased, 
and  once  more  the  blood-stained  man  stood  before  him, 
saying  :  "  By  thine  honourable  assistance  have  I  slain 
the  foe  that  had  oppressed  me  during  these  many 
years."  So  we  may  infer  that  in  the  spirit  world  Chinu 
fought  and  slew  his  rival,  and  after  many  years  of  bitter 
jealousy  was  finally  able  to  call  the  Maiden  of  Unai 
his  own. 

The  Grave  of  the  Maiden  of  Unai 

"  I  stand  by  the  grave  where  they  buried 

The  Maiden  of  Unai, 
Whom  of  old  the  rival  champions 
Did  woo  so  jealously. 

"  The  grave  should  hand  down  through  the  ages 

Her  story  for  evermore, 
That  men  yet  unborn  might  love  her, 
And  think  on  the  days  of  yore. 

315 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

"  And  so  beside  the  causeway 

They  piled  up  the  boulders  high ; 
Nor  e'er,  till  the  clouds  that  o'ershadow  us 
Shall  vanish  from  the  sky, 

"  May  the  pilgrim  along  the  causeway 

Forget  to  turn  aside, 

And  mourn  o'er  the  grave  of  the  Maiden ; 
And  the  village  folk,  beside, 

"  Ne'er  cease  from  their  bitter  weeping, 

But  cluster  around  her  tomb ; 
And  the  ages  repeat  her  story, 
And  bewail  the  Maiden's  doom. 

"  Till  at  last  e'en  I  stand  gazing 

On  the  grave  where  she  lies  low, 
And  muse  with  unspeakable  sadness 
On  the  old  days  long  ago." 

Saklmaro.     (Trans,  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN.) 

The  Maiden  of  Katsushika 

"  Where  in  the  far-off  eastern  land 
The  cock  first  crows  at  dawn, 
The  people  still  hand  down  a  tale 
Of  days  long  dead  and  gone. 

u  They  tell  of  Katsushika's  maid, 
Whose  sash  of  country  blue 
Bound  but  a  frock  of  home-spun  hemp, 
And  kirtle  coarse  to  view ; 

"  Whose  feet  no  shoe  had  e'er  confined, 
Nor  comb  passed  through  her  hair ; 
Yet  all  the  queens  in  damask  robes 
Might  nevermore  compare 

"  With  this  dear  child,  who  smiling  stood, 

A  flow'ret  of  the  spring — 
In  beauty  perfect  and  complete, 
Like  to  the  full  moon's  ring. 
316 


THE  MAIDEN  WITH  THE  WOODEN  BOWL 

"  And,  as  the  summer  moths  that  fly 

Towards  the  flame  so  bright, 
Or  as  the  boats  that  seek  the  port 
When  fall  the  shades  of  night, 

"  So  came  the  suitors  ;  but  she  said  : 

*  Why  take  me  for  your  wife  ? 
Full  well  I  know  my  humble  lot, 
I  know  how  short  my  life.' 

"  So  where  the  dashing  billows  beat 

On  the  loud-sounding  shore, 
Hath  Katsushika's  tender  maid 
Her  home  for  evermore. 

"  Yes  !  'tis  a  tale  of  days  long  past; 

But,  list'ning  to  the  lay, 

It  seems  as  I  had  gazed  upon 

Her  face  but  yesterday." 

Trans,  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

To  the  translation  of  this  Japanese  ballad  Professor 
B.  H.  Chamberlain  adds  the  following  note  :  "  To  the 
slight,  but  undoubtedly  very  ancient,  tradition  preserved 
in  the  foregoing  ballad,  there  is  nothing  to  add  from 
any  authentic  source.  Popular  fancy,  however,  has 
been  busy  filling  up  the  gaps,  and  introduces  a  cruel 
stepmother,  who,  untouched  by  the  piety  of  the  maiden 
in  drawing  water  for  her  every  day  from  the  only  well 
whose  water  she  cares  to  drink,  is  so  angry  with  her  for, 
by  her  radiant  beauty,  attracting  suitors  to  the  house, 
that  the  poor  girl  ends  by  drowning  herself,  upon  which 
the  neighbours  declare  her  to  be  a  goddess,  and  erect  a 
temple  in  her  honour.  Both  the  temple  and  the  well 
are  still  among  the  show-places  in  the  environs  of 
Tokyo." 

The  Maiden  with  the  Wooden  Bowl 

In  ancient  days  there  lived  an  old  couple  with  their 
only  child,  a  girl  of  remarkable  charm  and  beauty. 

31? 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

When  the  old  man  fell  sick  and  died  his  widow  became 
more  and  more  concerned  for  her  daughter's  future 
welfare. 

One  day  she  called  her  child  to  her,  and  said  : 
"  Little  one,  your  father  lies  in  yonder  cemetery,  and  I, 
being  old  and  feeble,  must  needs  follow  him  soon.  The 
thought  of  leaving  you  alone  in  the  world  troubles  me 
much,  for  you  are  beautiful,  and  beauty  is  a  temptation 
and  a  snare  to  men.  Not  all  the  purity  of  a  white 
flower  can  prevent  it  from  being  plucked  and  dragged 
down  in  the  mire.  My  child,  your  face  is  all  too  rair. 
It  must  be  hidden  from  the  eager  eyes  of  men,  lest  it 
cause  you  to  fall  from  your  good  and  simple  life  to  one 
of  shame." 

Having  said  these  words,  she  placed  a  lacquered  bowl 
upon  the  maiden's  head,  so  that  it  veiled  her  attractions. 
"  Always  wear  it,  little  one,"  said  the  mother,  "  for  it 
will  protect  you  when  I  am  gone." 

Shortly  after  this  loving  deed  had  been  performed  the 
old  woman  died,  and  the  maiden  was  forced  to  earn  her 
living  by  working  in  the  rice-fields.  It  was  hard,  weary 
work,  but  the  girl  kept  a  brave  heart  and  toiled  from 
dawn  to  sunset  without  a  murmur.  Over  and  over 
again  her  strange  appearance  created  considerable  com- 
ment, and  she  was  known  throughout  the  country  as 
the  "Maiden  with  the  Bowl  on  her  Head."  Young 
men  laughed  at  her  and  tried  to  peep  under  the  vessel, 
and  not  a  few  endeavoured  to  pull  off  the  wooden 
covering  ;  but  it  could  not  be  removed,  and  laughing  and 
jesting,  the  young  men  had  to  be  content  with  a  glimpse 
of  the  lower  part  of  the  fair  maiden's  face.  The 
poor  girl  bore  this  rude  treatment  with  a  patient  but 
heavy  heart,  believing  that  out  of  her  mother's  love  and 
wisdom  would  come  some  day  a  joy  that  would  more 
than  compensate  for  all  her  sorrow. 
318 


THE  MAIDEN  WITH  THE  WOODEN  BOWL 

One  day  a  rich  farmer  watched  the  maiden  working 
in  his  rice-fields.  He  was  struck  by  her  diligence  and 
the  quick  and  excellent  way  she  performed  her  tasks. 
He  was  pleased  with  that  bent  and  busy  little  figure,  and 
did  not  laugh  at  the  wooden  bowl  on  her  head.  After 
observing  her  for  some  time,  he  came  to  the  maiden, 
and  said  :  "  You  work  well  and  do  not  chatter  to  your 
companions.  I  wish  you  to  labour  in  my  rice-fields 
until  the  end  of  the  harvest/7 

When  the  rice  harvest  had  been  gathered  and  winter 
had  come  the  wealthy  farmer,  still  more  favourably 
impressed  with  the  maiden,  and  anxious  to  do  her  a 
service,  bade  her  become  an  inmate  of  his  house.  "  My 
wife  is  ill,"  he  added,  "  and  I  should  like  you  to  nurse 
her  for  me." 

The  maiden  gratefully  accepted  this  welcome  offer. 
She  tended  the  sick  woman  with  every  care,  for  the  same 
quiet  diligence  she  displayed  in  the  rice-fields  was 
characteristic  of  her  gentle  labour  in  the  sick-room.  As 
the  farmer  and  his  wife  had  no  daughter  they  took  very 
kindly  to  this  orphan  and  regarded  her  as  a  child  of 
their  own. 

At  length  the  farmer's  eldest  son  returned  to  his  old 
home.  He  was  a  wise  young  man  who  had  studied 
much  in  gay  Kyoto,  and  was  weary  of  a  merry  life  of 
feasting  and  frivolous  pleasure.  His  father  and  mother 
expected  that  their  son  would  soon  grow  tired  of  his 
father's  house  and  its  quiet  surroundings,  and  every  day 
they  feared  that  he  would  come  to  them,  bid  farewell, 
and  return  once  more  to  the  city  of  the  Mikado.  But 
to  the  surprise  of  all  the  farmer's  son  expressed  no 
desire  to  leave  his  old  home. 

One  day  the  young  man  came  to  his  father,  and 
said  :  "  Who  is  this  maiden  in  our  house,  and  why  does 
she  wear  an  ugly  black  bowl  upon  her  head  ? " 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

When  the  farmer  had  told  the  sad  story  of  the 
maiden  his  son  was  deeply  moved ;  but,  nevertheless, 
he  could  not  refrain  from  laughing  a  little  at  the  bowl. 
The  young  man's  laughter,  however,  did  not  last  long. 
Day  by  day  the  maiden  became  more  fascinating  to 
him.  Now  and  again  he  peeped  at  the  girl's  half-hidden 
face,  and  became  more  and  more  impressed  by  her 
gentleness  of  manner  and  her  nobility  of  nature.  It 
was  not  long  before  his  admiration  turned  into 
love,  and  he  resolved  that  he  would  marry  the  Maiden 
with  the  Bowl  on  her  Head.  Most  of  his  relations 
were  opposed  to  the  union.  They  said  :  "  She  is  all 
veryjwell  in  her  way,  but  she  is  only  a  common  servant. 
She  wears  that  bowl  in  order  to  captivate  the  unwary, 
and  we  do  not  think  it  hides  beauty,  but  rather  ugliness. 
Seek  a  wife  elsewhere,  for  we  will  not  tolerate  this 
ambitious  and  scheming  maiden." 

From  that  hour  the  maiden  suffered  much.  Bitter 
and  spiteful  things  were  said  to  her,  and  even  her 
mistress,  once  so  good  and  kind,  turned  against  her. 
But  the  farmer  did  not  change  his  opinion.  He  still 
liked  the  girl,  and  was  quite  willing  that  she  should 
become  his  son's  wife,  but,  owing  to  the  heated  remarks 
of  his  wife  and  relations,  he  dared  not  reveal  his  wishes 
in  the  matter. 

All  the  opposition,  none  too  kindly  expressed,  only 
made  the  young  man  more  desirous  to  achieve 
his  purpose.  At  length  his  mother  and  relations, 
seeing  that  their  wishes  were  useless,  consented  to  the 
marriage,  but  with  a  very  bad  grace. 

The  young  man,  believing  that  all  difficulties  had 
been  removed,  joyfully  went  to  the  Maiden  with  the 
Bowl  on  her  Head,  and  said  :  "  All  troublesome  opposi- 
tion as  at  an  end,  and  now  nothing  prevents  us  from 
getting  married." 
320 


THE  MAIDEN  WITH  THE  WOODEN  BOWL 

"  No,"  replied  the  poor  maiden,  weeping  bitterly, 
"  I  cannot  marry  you.  I  am  only  a  servant  in  your 
father's  house,  and  therefore  it  would  be  unseemly  for 
me  to  become  your  bride." 

The  young  man  spoke  gently  to  her.  He  expressed 
his  ardent  love  over  and  over  again,  he  argued,  he 
begged  ;  but  the  maiden  would  not  change  her  mind. 
Her  attitude  made  the  relations  extremely  angry.  They 
said  that  the  woman  had  made  fools  of  them  all,  little 
knowing  that  she  dearly  loved  the  farmer's  son,  and 
believed,  in  her  loyal  heart,  that  marriage  could  only 
bring  discord  in  the  home  that  had  sheltered  her  in  her 
poverty. 

That  night  the  poor  girl  cried  herself  to  sleep,  and 
in  a  dream  her  mother  came  to  her,  and  said  :  "  My 
dear  child,  let  your  good  heart  be  troubled  no  more. 
Marry  the  farmer's  son  and  all  will  be  well  again." 
The  maiden  woke  next  morning  full  of  joy,  and  when 
her  lover  came  to  her  and  asked  once  more  if  she  would 
become  his  bride,  she  yielded  with  a  gracious  smile. 

Great  preparations  were  made  for  the  wedding,  and 
when  the  company  assembled,  it  was  deemed  high  time 
to  remove  the  maiden's  wooden  bowl.  She  herself 
tried  to  take  it  off,  but  it  remained  firmly  fixed  to  her 
head.  When  some  of  the  relations,  with  not  a  few 
unkind  remarks,  came  to  her  assistance,  the  bowl  uttered 
strange  cries  and  groans.  At  length  the  bridegroom 
approached  the  maiden,  and  said  :  "  Do  not  let  this 
treatment  distress  you.  You  are  just  as  dear  to  me 
with  or  without  the  bowl,"  and  having  said  these  words, 
he  commanded  that  the  ceremony  should  proceed. 

Then  the  wine-cups  were  brought  into  the  crowded 
apartment  and,  according  to  custom,  the  bride  and 
bridegroom  were  expected  to  drink  together  the  "  Three 
times  three"  in  token  of  their  union.  Just  as  the 

x  3*1 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

maiden  put  the  wine-cup  to  her  lips  the  bowl  on  her 
head  broke  with  a  great  noise,  and  from  it  fell  gold  and 
silver  and  all  manner  of  precious  stones,  so  that  the 
maiden  who  had  once  been  a  beggar  now  had  her 
marriage  portion.  The  guests  were  amazed  as  they 
looked  upon  the  heap  of  shining  jewels  and  gold  and 
silver,  but  they  were  still  more  surprised  when  they 
chanced  to  look  up  and  see  that  the  bride  was  the  most 
beautiful  woman  in  all  Japan. 


322 


CHAPTER  XXVII :  LEGENDS  OF 
THE  SEA 

"  Oh  !  that  the  white  waves  far  out 
On  the  sea  of  Ise 
Were  but  flowers, 
That  I  might  gather  them 
And  bring  them  as  a  gift  to  my  love." 

Prince  Aki.     (Trans,  by  W.  G.  ASTON.) 

The  Tide  of  the  Returning  Ghosts 

ON  the  last  day  of  the  Festival  of  the  Dead  the  sea 
is  covered  with  countless  shvryvbune  (soul-ships), 
for  on  that  day,  called  Hotoke-umi,  which  means 
Buddha-Flood,  or  the  Tide  of  the  Returning  Ghosts, 
the  souls  go  back  to  their  spirit  world  again.  The  sea 
shines  with  the  light  of  the  departed,  and  from  over  the 
waves  comes  the  sound  of  ghosts  whispering  together. 
No  human  being  would  dream  of  putting  out  to  sea 
amid  such  sacred  company,  for  the  sea  that  night 
belongs  to  the  dead ;  _it  is  their  long  pathway  to  the 
realm  where  Emma-O  reigns  supreme. 

It  sometimes  happens,  however,  that  a  vessel  fails  to 
come  to  port  before  the  departure  of  the  soul-ships, 
and  on  such  occasions  the  dead  arise  from  the  deep, 
stretch  forth  their  arms,  and  implore  that  buckets  may 
be  given  them.  Sailors  comply  with  this  request,  but 
present  the  ghosts  with  one  that  has  no  bottom,  for  if 
they  gave  the  dead  sound  buckets,  the  angry  spirits 
would  use  them  for  the  purpose  of  sinking  the  vessel. 

Urashima 

"  'Tis  Spring,  and  the  mists  come  stealing 

O'er  Suminoye's  shore, 
And  I  stand  by  the  seaside  musing 
On  the  days  that  are  no  more. 

3*3 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

"  I  muse  on  the  old-world  story, 
As  the  boats  glide  to  and  fro, 
Of  the  fisher-boy  Urashima, 
Who  a-fishing  lov'd  to  go." 

Trans,  by  B.  H.  CHAMBERLAIN. 

"  The  legend  of  Urashima/ '  writes  Professor  B.  H. 
Chamberlain  in  Japanese  Poetry ',  "  is  one  of  the  oldest  in 
the  language,  and  traces  of  it  may  even  be  found  in 
the  official  annals."  In  the  popular  version,  which  we 
give  below,  "  the  Evergreen  Land,"  recorded  in  the 
Japanese  ballad,  "The  Fisher  Boy  Urashima,"  appears 
as  the  Dragon  Palace.  Professor  Chamberlain  writes  : 
"  The  word  Dragon  Palace  is  in  Japanese  ryUgU>  or,  more 
properly,  ryttkytt,  which  is  likewise  the  Japanese  pronun- 
ciation of  the  name  of  the  islands  we  call  Luchu,  and 
the  Chinese  Liu-kiu  ;  and  it  has  been  suggested  that 
the  Dragon  Palace  may  be  but  a  fanciful  name  given  by 
some  shipwrecked  voyager  to  those  sunny  southern 
isles,  whose  inhabitants  still  distinguish  themselves, 
even  above  their  Chinese  and  Japanese  neighbours,  by 
their  fondness  for  the  dragon  as  an  artistic  and  archi- 
tectural adornment.  There  is  one  ode  in  the  Man-yvshu 
which  would  favour  this  idea,  speaking  as  it  does  of  the 
orange  having  first  been  brought  to  Japan  from  the 
c  Evergreen  Land  *  lying  to  the  south." 


Urashima  and  the  Tortoise 

One  day  Urashima,  who  lived  in  a  little  fishing  village 
called  Midzunoe,  in  the  province  of  Tango,  went  out  to 
fish.  It  so  happened  that  he  caught  a  tortoise,  and  as 
tortoises  are  said  to  live  many  thousands  of  years,  the 
thoughtful  Urashima  allowed  the  creature  to  return  to 
the  sea,  rebaited  his  hook,  and  once  more  waited  for 
the  bite  of  a  fish.  Only  the  sea  gently  waved  his  line 
3H 


IN  THE  SEA  KING'S  PALACE 

to  and  fro.  The  sun  beat  down  upon  his  head  till  at 
last  Urashima  fell  asleep. 

He  had  not  been  sleeping  long  when  he  heard  some 
one  calling  his  name  :  "  Urashima,  Urashima  ! " 

It  was  such  a  sweet,  haunting  voice  that  the  fisher- 
lad  stood  up  in  his  boat  and  looked  around  in  every 
direction,  till  he  chanced  to  see  the  very  tortoise  he  had 
been  kind  enough  to  restore  to  its  watery  home.  The 
tortoise,  which  was  able  to  speak  quite  fluently,  profusely 
thanked  Urashima  for  his  kindness,  and  offered  to  take 
him  to  the  ryttkyu,  or  Palace  of  the  Dragon  King. 

The  invitation  was  readily  accepted,  and  getting  on 
the  tortoise's  back,  Urashima  found  himself  gliding 
through  the  sea  at  a  tremendous  speed,  and  the  curious 
part  about  it  was  he  discovered  that  his  clothes  remained 
perfectly  dry. 

In  the  Sea  King's  Palace 

Arriving  at  the  Sea  King's  Palace,  red  bream,  flounder, 
sole,  and  cuttlefish  came  out  to  give  Urashima  a  hearty 
welcome.  Having  expressed  their  pleasure,  these 
vassals  of  the  Dragon  King  escorted  the  fisher-lad  to 
an  inner  apartment,  where  the  beautiful  Princess 
Otohime  and  her  maidens  were  seated.  The  Princess 
was  arrayed  in  gorgeous  garments  of  red  and  gold,  all 
the  colours  of  a  wave  with  the  sunlight  upon  it. 

This  Princess  explained  that  she  had  taken  the  form 
of  a  tortoise  by  way  of  testing  his  kindness  of  heart. 
The  test  had  happily  proved  successful,  and  as  a 
reward  for  his  virtue  she  offered  to  become  his  bride  in 
a  land  where  there  was  eternal  youth  and  everlasting 
summer. 

Urashima  bashfully  accepted  the  high  honour  be- 
stowed upon  him.  He  had  no  sooner  spoken  than  a 
great  company  of  fishes  appeared,  robed  in  long  cere- 

3*5 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

monial  garments,  their  fins  supporting  great  coral  trays 
loaded  with  rare  delicacies.  Then  the  happy  couple 
drank  the  wedding  cup  of  sak^  and  while  they  drank, 
some  of  the  fishes  played  soft  music,  others  sang,  and 
not  a  few,  with  scales  of  silver  and  golden  tails,  stepped 
out  a  strange  measure  on  the  white  sand. 

After  the  festivities  were  over,  Otohime  showed  her 
husband  all  the  wonders  of  her  father's  palace.  The 
greatest  marvel  of  all  was  to  see  a  country  where  all  the 
seasons  lingered  together.1  Looking  to  the  east, 
Urashima  saw  plum-  and  cherry-trees  in  full  bloom, 
with  bright-winged  butterflies  skimming  over  the 
blossom,  and  away  in  the  distance  it  seemed  that  the 
pink  petals  and  butterflies  had  suddenly  been  converted 
into  the  song  of  a  wondrous  nightingale.  In  the  south 
he  saw  trees  in  their  summer  glory,  and  heard  the  gentle 
note  of  the  cricket.  Looking  to  the  west,  the  autumn 
maples  made  a  fire  in  the  branches,  so  that  if  Urashima 
had  been  other  than  a  humble  fisher-lad  he  might  have 
recalled  the  following  poem  : 

"  Fair  goddess  of  the  paling  Autumn  skies, 
Fain  would  I  know  how  many  looms  she  plies, 
Wherein  through  skilful  tapestry  she  weaves 
Her  fine  brocade  of  fiery  maple  leaves — 
Since  on  each  hill,  with  every  gust  that  blows, 
In  varied  hues  her  vast  embroidery  glows  ? " 

Trans,  by  CLARA  A.  WALSH. 

It  was,  indeed,  a  "  vast  embroidery,"  for  when 
Urashima  looked  toward  the  north  he  saw  a  great  stretch 
of  snow  and  a  mighty  pond  covered  with  ice.  All  the 
seasons  lingered  together  in  that  fair  country  where 
Nature  had  yielded  to  the  full  her  infinite  variety  of 
beauty. 

After  Urashima  had  been  in  the  Sea  King's  Palace  for 

i  Compare  "  The  Dream  of  Rosei  "  in  Chapter  VII. 
326 


Urashima  and   the   Sea   King's  Daughter 


326 


THE  HOME-COMING  OF  URASHIMA 

three  days,  and  seen  many  wonderful  things,  he  suddenly 
remembered  his  old  parents,  and  felt  a  strong  desire  to 
go  and  see  them.  When  he  went  to  his  wife,  and  told 
her  of  his  longing  to  return  home,  Otohime  began  to 
weep,  and  tried  to  persuade  him  to  stop  another  day. 
But  Urashima  refused  to  be  influenced  in  the  matter. 
"  I  must  go,"  said  he,  "  but  I  will  leave  you  only  for 
a  day.  I  will  return  again,  dear  wife  of  mine." 

The  Home-coming  of  Urashima 

Then  Otohime  gave  her  husband  a  keepsake  in  re- 
membrance of  their  love.  It  was  called  the  Tamate-Bako 
("  Box  of  the  Jewel  Hand)."  She  explained  that  he  was 
on  no  account  to  open  the  box,  and  Urashima,  promis- 
ing to  fulfil  her  wish,  said  farewell,  mounted  a  large 
tortoise,  and  soon  found  himself  in  his  own  country.  He 
looked  in  vain  for  his  father's  home.  Not  a  sign  of  it 
was  to  be  seen.  The  cottage  had  vanished,  only  the 
little  stream  remained. 

Still  much  perplexed,  Urashima  questioned  a  passer- 
by, and  he  learnt  from  him  that  a  fisher-lad,  named 
Urashima,  had  gone  to  sea  three  hundred  years  ago  and 
was  drowned,  and  that  his  parents,  brothers,  and  their 
grandchildren  had  been  laid  to  rest  for  a  long  time. 
Then  Urashima  suddenly  remembered  that  the  country 
of  the  Sea  King  was  a  divine  land,  where  a  day,  accord- 
ing to  mortal  reckoning,  was  a  hundred  years. 

Urashima's  reflections  were  gloomy  in  the  extreme, 
for  all  whom  he  had  loved  on  earth  were  dead.  Then 
he  heard  the  murmur  of  the  sea,  and  recalled  the  lovely 
Otohime,  as  well  as  the  country  where  the  seasons 
joined  hands  and  made  a  fourfold  pageant  of  their 
beauty — the  land  where  trees  had  emeralds  for  leaves 
and  rubies  for  berries,  where  the  fishes  wore  long  robes 
and  sang  and  danced  and  played.  Louder  the  sea 

327 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

sounded  in  Urashima's  ears.  Surely  Otohime  called 
him  ?  But  no  path  opened  out  before  him,  no  obliging 
tortoise  appeared  on  the  scene  to  carry  him  to  where  his 
wife  waited  for  him.  "The  box!  the  box!"  said 
Urashima  softly,  "  if  I  open  my  wife's  mysterious  gift, 
it  may  reveal  the  way." 

Urashima  untied  the  red  silk  thread  and  slowly, 
fearfully  opened  the  lid  of  the  box.  Suddenly  there 
rushed  out  a  little  white  cloud  ;  it  lingered  a  moment, 
and  then  rolled  away  far  over  the  sea.  But  a  sacred 
promise  had  been  broken,  and  Urashima  from  a  hand- 
some youth  became  old  and  wrinkled.  He  staggered 
forward,  his  white  hair  and  beard  blowing  in  the  wind. 
He  looked  out  to  sea,  and  then  fell  dead  upon  the 
shore. 

Professor  Chamberlain  writes  :  "  Urashima's  tomb, 
together  with  his  fishing-line,  the  casket  given  him  by 
the  maiden,  and  two  stones  said  to  be  precious,  are 
still  shown  at  one  of  the  temples  in  Kanagawa." 

The  Land  of  the  Morning  Calm 

Chosen,  the  Land  of  the  Morning  Calm,  was  the  old 
name  for  Korea,1  and  however  poetical  the  phrase  may 
be,  it  was,  nevertheless,  totally  inapplicable  to  actual 
fact.  In  its  early  history  it  was  a  country  divided 
against  itself,  and  later  on  it  was  troubled  with  the 
invading  armies  of  China  and  Japan,  to  say  nothing  of 
minor  skirmishes  with  other  countries.  There  is  cer- 
tainly a  pathetic  calm  in  Korea  to-day,  but  it  is  the  calm 
of  a  long-vanquished  and  persecuted  nation.  It  now  rests 
with  Japan  whether  or  not  the  Koreans  rise  from 
serfdom  and  regain  something  of  that  old  hardihood 
that  was  at  one  time  so  prominent  a  feature  of  her 
northern  men. 

1  See  The  Story  of  Korea,  by  Joseph  H.  Longford. 


THE  LAND  OF  THE  MORNING  CALM 

Long  ago  Korea  came  under  the  glamour  of  the 
Chinese  civilisation,  and  it  haunts  her  people  to  this 
day.  Japan  borrowed  from  Korea  what  Korea  had  bor- 
rowed from  China.  It  was  because  Japan  went  on 
borrowing  from  the  West  when  she  had  exhausted  all 
that  Korea  and  China  could  teach  her  that  she  even- 
tually became,  with  the  progressive  stream  of  thought 
and  action  flowing  vigorously  through  her,  a  world- 
power,  while  Korea  remained  a  forlorn  example  of  an 
almost  stagnant  country. 

When  Japan  had  succeeded  in  convincing  Korea 
that  she  alone  could  be  her  faithful  guide,  Russia 
came,  like  a  thief  in  the  night,  and  established  a 
military  outpost  at  Wiju.  The  Russo-Japanese  War 
resulted,  and  Korea  became  a  Japanese  colony,  an 
experimental  ground  for  social  and  political  reform. 
Japan  has  waited  long  for  Korea.  May  she  find  it  at 
last,  not  a  turbulent  and  rebellious  country,  but  in  very 
deed  the  Land  of  the  Morning  Calm.  Korea  in  the 
past  has  contributed  to  the  making  of  Japan's  greatness 
in  handing  on  the  religion,  art,  and  literature  of  China. 
Now  it  is  Japan's  turn  to  succour  an  impoverished 
country,  and  if  the  Morning  Calm  is  united  with  the 
Rising  Sun,  there  should  be  peace  and  prosperity  in 
her  new  possession. 

Professor  J.  H.  Longford,  in  The  Story  of  Korea,  writes 
in  regard  to  the  invasion  of  the  Empress  Jingo  :  "  Dr. 
Aston  .  .  .  contemptuously  dismisses  the  whole  as  a  myth 
founded  on  two  very  distinct  historical  facts — that  there 
was,  at  the  time  of  the  alleged  invasion,  an  Empress 
of  Japan,  a  woman  of  real  determination  and  ability, 
and  that  not  one,  but  several  Japanese  invasions  of 
Korea  did  occur,  though  at  later  periods,  in  which  the 
Japanese  did  not  invariably  meet  with  the  triumphant 
success  that  they  claim  for  the  Empress."  We  give 

329 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

below  the  picturesque  legend  of  Japan's  first  invasion 
of  Korea. 

The  Tide  Jewels 

One  night  the  Empress  Jingo,  as  she  lay  asleep  in 
her  tent,  had  a  strange  dream.  She  dreamt  that  a  spirit 
came  to  her  and  told  her  of  a  wonderful  land,  a  land  in 
the  West,  full  of  treasures  of  gold  and  silver,  a  dazzling 
land,  fair  to  look  upon  as  a  beautiful  woman.  The 
spirit  informed  her  that  the  name  of  this  country  was 
Chosen  (Korea),  and  that  it  might  belong  to  Japan  if 
she  would  set  out  and  conquer  this  wealthy  land. 

The  next  day  the  Empress  Jingo  informed  her  hus- 
band about  her  dream  ;  but  the  Emperor,  a  stolid, 
matter-of-fact  man,  did  not  believe  in  dreams.  How- 
ever, as  his  wife  persisted  in  thrusting  upon  him  what 
he  deemed  to  be  a  foolish  scheme,  he  climbed  a  high 
mountain,  and  looking  toward  the  setting  sun  saw  no 
land  in  the  West.  When  the  Emperor  had  come  down 
from  the  mountain,  he  informed  his  wife  that  he  would 
on  no  account  give  his  consent  to  invade  and  conquer  a 
country  which  simply  owed  its  existence  to  a  disordered 
dream.  But  the  Gods  were  angry  with  the  Emperor, 
and  shortly  after  he  had  uttered  his  prohibition  he 
died  in  battle. 

The  Gift  of  the  Dragon  King 

When  the  Empress  Jingo  became  sole  ruler  she  was 
determined  to  go  to  this  country  she  had  heard  about 
in  a  dream  ;  but  as  she  was  resolved  to  make  her 
expedition  no  puny  and  tame  affair,  she  called  upon  the 
Spirit  of  the  Mountain  to  give  her  timber  and  iron  for 
her  ships.  The  Spirit  of  Fields  gave  her  rice  and  other 
grain  for  her  army,  while  the  Spirit  of  Grass  pre- 
sented her  with  hemp  for  rope.  The  Wind  God  looked 
330 


THE  VOYAGE 

favourably  upon  her  scheme,  and  promised  to  blow  her 
ships  towards  Korea.  All  the  spirits  appeared  in  com- 
pliance with  the  Empress  Jingo's  wishes  except  Isora, 
the  Spirit  of  the  Seashore. 

Isora  was  a  lazy  fellow,  and  when  he  finally  appeared 
above  the  waves  of  the  sea,  he  did  so  without  gorgeous 
apparel,  for  he  was  covered  with  slime  and  shells,  and 
seaweed  adorned  his  unkempt  person.  When  the 
Empress  saw  him  she  bade  him  go  to  his  master,  the 
Dragon  King,  and  ask  him  to  give  her  the  Tide  Jewels. 

Isora  obeyed,  dived  down  into  the  water,  and  presently 
stood  before  the  Dragon  King  and  made  his  request. 

The  Dragon  King  took  out  the  Tide  Jewels  from  a 
casket,  placed  them  on  a  great  shell,  and  bade  Isora 
promptly  return  to  the  Empress  Jingo  with  this  precious 
gift. 

Isora  sprang  from  his  master's  palace  to  the  surface 
of  the  sea,  and  the  Empress  Jingo  placed  the  Tide 
Jewels  in  her  girdle. 

The  Voyage 

Now  that  the  Empress  had  obtained  the  Jewel  of 
the  Flood-Tide  and  the  Jewel  of  the  Ebb-Tide  she 
had  three  thousand  ships  built  and  launched,  and  during 
the  tenth  month  she  started  on  her  great  expedition. 
Her  fleet  had  not  proceeded  far  when  a  mighty  storm 
arose,  so  that  the  vessels  crashed  together  and  were 
likely  to  sink  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  The  Dragon 
King,  however,  commanded  great  sea-monsters  to  go  to 
the  rescue  ;  some  bore  up  the  ships  with  their  great 
bodies,  others  pushed  their  heads  against  the  sterns  of 
many  vessels,  thus  propelling  them  through  a  heavy  sea 
which  had  very  nearly  driven  them  back  whence  they 
came.  Powerful  dragon-fishes  lent  their  aid  to  those 
pushing  and  snorting  in  the  rear  by  holding  the  ships' 

331 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

cables  in  their  mouths  and  towing  the  vessels  forward  at 
a  surprising  speed.  Directly  the  storm  ceased,  the  sea- 
monsters  and  dragon-fishes  disappeared. 

The  Throwing  of  the  Tide  Jewels 

At  last  the  Empress  Jingo  and  her  army  saw  the 
distant  mountains  of  Korea  loom  out  on  the  horizon. 
On  nearing  the  coast  they  perceived  that  the  whole  of 
the  Korean  army  stood  upon  the  shore  with  their  ships 
ready  to  be  launched  at  the  word  of  command.  As  soon 
as  the  Korean  sentinels  perceived  the  Japanese  fleet, 
they  gave  the  signal  for  embarking,  and  immediately  a 
great  line  of  war-vessels  shot  out  over  the  water. 

The  Empress  stood  watching  these  proceedings  with 
unruffled  calm.  She  knew  that  the  victory  or  defeat 
of  her  army  lay  in  her  power.  When  the  Korean 
vessels  drew  near  to  her  fleet  she  threw  into  the  sea 
the  Jewel  of  the  Ebb-Tide.  Directly  it  touched  the 
water  it  caused  the  tide  to  recede  from  under  the  very 
keels  of  the  Korean  ships,  so  that  they  were  left 
stranded  upon  dry  land.  The  Koreans,  suspecting 
no  magic  and  believing  their  stranded  condition  to 
have  been  the  result  of  a  tidal  wave  and,  moreover, 
that  the  Japanese  vessels  would  succumb  to  the  back- 
wash, sprang  from  their  vessels  and  rushed  over  the 
sand.  Now  the  Japanese  bowmen  twanged  their  bow- 
strings, and  a  great  cloud  of  arrows  flew  into  the  air, 
killing  many  hundreds  of  the  enemy.  When  the 
Koreans  were  quite  near  the  Japanese  vessels,  the 
Empress  flung  forth  the  Jewel  of  the  Flood-Tide. 
Immediately  a  great  wave  rushed  over  and  destroyed 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  Korean  army.  It  was  now  an 
easy  matter  for  the  Japanese  to  land  and  capture  the 
country.  The  King  of  Korea  surrendered,  and  the 
Empress  returned  to  her  own  kingdom  laden  with  silk 
33* 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  THE  SEA  SERPENT 

and  jewels,  books  and  pictures,  tiger-skins  and  precious 
robes. 

When  the  Tide  Jewels  had  been  thrown  by  the 
Empress,  they  did  not  lie  long  on  the  bed  of  the  ocean. 
Isora  speedily  rescued  them  and  carried  them  back 
to  the  Dragon  King. 

Prince  Ojin 

Soon  after  the  Empress  Jingo's  return  she  gave 
birth  to  a  son  named  Ojin.  When  Ojin  had  grown 
into  a  fair  and  wise  little  boy,  his  mother  told  him 
about  the  wonderful  Tide  Jewels,  and  expressed  a  wish 
that  he,  too,  should  possess  them  in  order  that  he  might 
bring  honour  and  glory  to  Japan. 

One  day  the  Prime  Minister,  who  was  said  to  be 
three  hundred  and  sixty  years  old,  and  the  counsellor 
of  no  less  than  five  Mikados,  took  Ojin  with  him  in  a 
royal  war-barge.  The  vessel  skimmed  over  the  sea 
with  its  gold  silk  sails.  The  Prime  Minister  in  a  loud 
voice  called  on  the  Dragon  King  to  give  young  Ojin 
the  Tide  Jewels. 

Immediately  the  waves  about  the  vessel  were 
churned  into  foam,  and  amid  a  great  thunderous  roar 
the  Dragon  King  himself  appeared  with  a  living 
creature  of  dreadful  countenance  for  a  helmet.  Then 
out  of  the  water  arose  a  mighty  shell,  in  the  recess  of 
which  glittered  the  Tide  Jewels.  After  presenting 
these  jewels,  and  making  a  pretty  little  speech,  he 
returned  to  his  great  green  kingdom. 

The  Slaughter  of  the  Sea  Serpent l 

Oribe  Shima  had  offended  the  great  ruler  Hojo 
Takatoki,  and  was  in  consequence  banished  to  Kami- 

1  This  legend,  and  those  that  follow  in  this  chapter,  are  adapted 
from  Ancient  Tales  and  Folk-lore  of  Japan,  by  R.  Gordon  Smith. 

333 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 
shima,  one  of  the  Oki  Islands,  and  forced  to  leave  his 
beautiful  daughter  Tokoyo,  whom  he  deeply  loved. 

At  last  Tokoyo  was  unable  to  bear  the  separation 
any  longer,  and  she  was  determined  to  find  her  father. 
She  therefore  set  out  upon  a  long  journey,  and  arriving 
at  Akasaki,  in  the  province  of  Hoki,  from  which  coast 
town  the  Oki  Islands  are  visible  on  a  fine  day,  she 
besought  many  a  fisherman  to  row  her  to  her  destina- 
tion. But  the  fisher- folk  laughed  at  Tokoyo,  and  bade 
her  relinquish  her  foolish  plan  and  return  home.  The 
maiden,  however,  would  not  listen  to  their  advice,  and 
at  nightfall  she  got  into  the  lightest  vessel  she  could 
find,  and  by  dint  of  a  fair  wind  and  persistent  rowing 
the  brave  girl  came  to  one  of  the  rocky  bays  of  the 
Oki  Islands. 

That  night  Tokoyo  slept  soundly,  and  in  the  morn- 
ing partook  of  food.  When  she  had  finished  her  meal 
she  questioned  a  fisherman  as  to  where  she  might  find 
her  father.  "  I  have  never  heard  of  Oribe  Shima," 
replied  the  fisherman,  "  and  if  he  has  been  banished,  I 
beg  that  you  will  desist  from  further  search,  lest  it  lead 
to  the  death  of  you  both." 

That  night  the  sorrowful  Tokoyo  slept  beneath  a 
shrine  dedicated  to  Buddha.  Her  sleep  was  soon 
disturbed  by  the  clapping  of  hands,  and  looking  up  she 
saw  a  weeping  maiden  clad  in  a  white  garment  with  a 
priest  standing  beside  her.  Just  as  the  priest  was 
about  to  push  the  maiden  over  the  rocks  into  the 
.roaring  sea,  Tokoyo  sprang  up  and  held  the  maiden's 
arm. 

The  priest  explained  that  on  that  night,  the 
thirteenth  of  June,  the  Serpent  God,  known  as 
Yofun6-Nushi,  demanded  the  sacrifice  of  a  young  girl, 
and  that  unless  this  annual  sacrifice  was  made  the  God 
became  angry  and  caused  terrible  storms. 
334 


Tokoyo  and  the  Sea  Serpent. 


334 


THE  SLAUGHTER  OF  THE  SEA  SERPENT 

"  Good  sir,"  said  Tokoyo,  "  I  am  glad  that  I  have 
been  able  to  save  this  poor  girl's  life.  I  gladly  offer 
myself  in  her  place,  for  I  am  sad  of  heart  because 
I  have  been  unable  to  find  my  father.  Give  him  this 
letter,  for  my  last  words  of  love  and  farewell  go  to 
him." 

Having  thus  spoken,  Tokoyo  took  the  maiden 's 
white  robe  and  clad  herself  in  it,  and  having  prayed  to 
the  image  of  Buddha,  she  placed  a  small  dagger 
between  her  teeth  and  plunged  into  the  tempestuous 
sea.  Down  she  went  through  the  moonlit  water  till 
she  came  to  a  mighty  cave  where  she  saw  a  statue 
of  Hojo  Takatoki,  who  had  sent  her  poor  father  into 
exile.  She  was  about  to  tie  the  image  on  her  back 
when  a  great  white  serpent  crept  out  from  the  cave 
with  eyes  gleaming  angrily.  Tokoyo,  realising  that 
this  creature  was  none  other  than  Yofune-Nushi,  drew 
her  dagger  and  thrust  it  through  the  right  eye  of  the 
God.  This  unexpected  attack  caused  the  serpent  to 
retire  into  the  cave,  but  the  brave  Tokoyo  followed  and 
struck  another  blow,  this  time  at  the  creature's  heart. 
For  a  moment  Yofune-Nushi  blindly  stumbled  forward, 
then  with  a  shriek  of  pain  fell  dead  upon  the  floor 
of  the  cavern. 

During  this  adventure  the  priest  and  the  maiden 
stood  on  the  rocks  watching  the  spot  where  Tokoyo 
had  disappeared,  praying  fervently  for  the  peace  of  her 
sorrowful  soul.  As  they  watched  and  prayed  they  saw 
Tokoyo  come  to  the  surface  of  the  water  carrying  an 
image  and  a  mighty  fish-like  creature.  The  priest 
hastily  came  to  the  girl's  assistance,  dragged  her  upon 
the  shore,  placed  the  image  on  a  high  rock,  and 
secured  the  body  of  the  White  Sea  Serpent. 

In  due  time  the  remarkable  story  was  reported  to 
Tameyoshi,  lord  of  the  island,  who  in  turn  reported  the 

335 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

strange  adventure  to  Hojo  Takatoki.  Now  Takatoki 
had  for  some  time  been  suffering  from  a  disease  which 
defied  the  skill  of  the  most  learned  doctors  ;  but  it  was 
observed  that  he  regained  his  health  precisely  at  the 
hour  when  his  image,  which  had  been  cursed  and 
thrown  into  the  sea  by  some  exile,  had  been  restored. 
When  Hojo  Takatoki  heard  that  the  brave  girl  was  the 
daughter  of  the  exiled  Oribe  Shima,  he  sent  him  back 
with  all  speed  to  his  own  home,  where  he  and  his 
daughter  lived  in  peace  and  happiness. 

The  Spirit  of  the  Sword 

One  night  a  junk  anchored  off  Fudo's  Cape,  and 
when  various  preparations  had  been  made,  the  Captain, 
Tarada  by  name,  and  his  crew  fell  asleep  on  deck.  At 
about  midnight  Tarada  was  awakened  by  hearing  an 
extraordinary  rumbling  sound  that  seemed  to  proceed 
from  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  Chancing  to  look  in  the 
direction  of  the  bow  of  the  vessel,  he  saw  a  fair  girl 
clad  in  white  and  illumined  by  a  dazzling  light. 

When  Tarada  had  awakened  his  crew  he  approached 
the  maiden,  who  said  :  "  My  only  wish  is  to  be  back 
in  the  world  again."  Having  uttered  these  words,  she 
disappeared  among  the  waves. 

The  next  day  Tarada  went  on  shore  and  asked  many 
who  lived  in  Amakura  if  they  had  ever  heard  of  a 
wondrous  maiden  bathed,  as  it  were,  in  a  phospho- 
rescent light.  One  of  the  villagers  thus  made  answer  : 
"We  have  never  seen  the  maiden  you  describe,  but  for 
some  time  past  we  have  been  disturbed  by  rumbling 
noises  that  seem  to  come  from  Fudo's  Cape,  and  ever 
since,  these  mysterious  sounds  have  prevented  fish 
from  entering  our  bay.  It  may  be  that  the  girl  you 
saw  was  the  ghost  of  some  poor  maiden  drowned  at 
sea,  and  the  noise  we  hear  none  other  than  the  anger 
336 


THE  LOVE  OF  O  CHO  SAN 

of  the  Sea  God  on  account  of  a  corpse  or  human  bones 
polluting  the  water." 

It  was  eventually  decided  that  the  dumb  Sankichi 
should  dive  into  the  sea  and  bring  up  any  corpse  he 
might  find  there.  So  Sankichi  went  on  board  Tarada's 
junk,  and  having  said  farewell  to  his  friends,  he  plunged 
into  the  water.  He  searched  diligently,  but  could  see 
no  trace  of  corpse  or  human  bones.  At  length,  how- 
ever, he  perceived  what  looked  like  a  sword  wrapped 
in  silk,  and  on  untying  the  wrapping  he  found  that  it 
was  indeed  a  sword,  of  great  brightness  and  without  a 
flaw  of  any  kind.  Sankichi  came  to  the  surface  and 
was  quickly  taken  aboard.  The  poor  fellow  was  gently 
laid  on  the  deck,  but  he  fainted  from  exhaustion.  His 
cold  body  was  rubbed  vigorously  and  fires  were  lit.  In 
a  very  short  time  Sankichi  became  conscious  and  was 
able  to  show  the  sword  and  give  particulars  of  his 
adventure. 

An  official,  by  the  name  of  Naruse  Tsushimanokami, 
was  of  the  opinion  that  the  sword  was  a  sacred  treasure, 
and  on  his  recommendation  it  was  placed  in  a  shrine 
and  dedicated  to  Fudo.  Sankichi  faithfully  guarded 
the  precious  weapon,  and  Fudo's  Cape  became  known 
as  the  Cape  of  the  Woman's  Sword.  To  the  delight  of 
the  fisher-folk,  the  spirit  of  the  weapon  now  being 
satisfied,  the  fish  came  back  into  the  bay  again. 

The  Love  of  O  Cho  San 

"  To-day  is  the  tenth  of  June.     May  the  rain  fall  in  torrents  ! 
For  I  long  to  see  my  dearest  O  Cho  San." 

Trans,  by  R.  GORDON  SMITH. 

In  the  isolated  Hatsushima  Island,  celebrated  for  its 
suisenn  (jonquils),  there  once  lived  a  beautiful  maiden 
called  Cho,  and  all  the  young  men  on  the  island  were 
eager  to  marry  her.  One  day  the  handsome  Shinsaku, 

Y  337 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

who  was  bolder  than  the  rest,  went  to  Gisuke,  the 
brother  of  Cho,  and  told  him  that  he  much  desired  to 
marry  his  fair  sister.  Gisuke  offered  no  objections, 
and  calling  Cho  to  him,  when  the  suitor  had  gone,  he 
said  :  "  Shinsaku  wishes  to  become  your  husband.  I 
like  the  fisherman,  and  think  that  in  him  you  will  make 
an  excellent  match.  You  are  now  eighteen,  and  it  is 
quite  time  that  you  got  married." 

6O  Cho  San  fully  approved  of  what  her  brother  had 
>aid,  and  the  marriage  was  arranged  to  take  place  in 
:hree  days*  time.  Unfortunately,  those  days  were  days 
of  discord  on  the  island,  for  when  the  other  fishermen 
lovers  heard  the  news  they  began  to  hate  the  once 
popular  Shinsaku,  and,  moreover,  they  neglected  their 
work  and  were  continually  fighting  each  other.  These 
lamentable  scenes  cast  such  a  gloom  upon  the  once 
happy  Hatsushima  Island  that  O  Cho  San  and  her 
lover  decided  that  for  the  peace  of  the  many  they 
would  not  marry  after  all. 
/  This  noble  sacrifice,  however,  did  not  bring  about  the 

/desired  effect,  for  the  thirty  lovers  still  fought  each 
other  and  still  neglected  their  fishing.  O  Cho  San 
determined  to  perform  a  still  greater  sacrifice.  She 
wrote  loving  letters  of  farewell  to  her  brother  and 
Shinsaku,  and  having  left  them  by  the  sleeping  Gisuke, 
she  softly  crept  out  of  the  house  on  a  stormy  night  01 
the  loth  of  June.  She  dropped  big  stones  into  her 
pretty  sleeves,  and  then  flung  herself  into  the  sea. 

The  next  day  Gisuke  and  Shinsaku  read  their  letters 
from  O  Cho  San,  and,  overcome  by  grief,  they  searched 
the  shore,  where  they  found  the  straw  sandals  of  Cho. 
The  two  men  realised  that  the  fair  maid  had  indeed 
taken  her  precious  life,  and  shortly  after  her  body  was 
taken  from  the  sea  and  buried,  and  over  her  tomb 
Shinsaku  placed  many  flowers  and  wept  continually. 
338 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  GREAT  AWABI 

One  evening,  Shinsaku,  unable  to  bear  his  sorrow 
any  longer^  decided  to  take  his  life,  believing  that  by 
doing  so  he  would  meet  the  spirit  of  O  Cho  San.  As 
he  lingered  by  the  girl's  grave,  he  seemed  to  see  her 
white  ghost,  and,  murmuring  her  name  over  and  over 
again,  he  rushed  toward  her.  At  this  moment  Gisuke, 
awakened  by  the  noise,  came  out  of  his  house,  and 
found  Shinsaku  clinging  to  his  lover's  gravestone. 

When  Shinsaku  told  his  friend  that  he  had  seen  the 
spirit  of  O  Cho  San,  and  intended  to  take  his  life  in 
order  to  be  with  her  for  ever,  Gisuke  made  answer 
thus  :  "  Shinsaku,  great  is  your  love  for  my  poor 
sister,  but  you  can  love  her  best  by  serving  her  in  this 
world.  When  the  great  Gods  call,  you  will  meet  her, 
but  await  with  hope  and  courage  till  that  hour  comes, 
for  only  a  brave,  as  well  as  a  loving,  heart  is  worthy 
of  O  Cho  San.  Let  us  together  build  a  shrine  and 
dedicate  it  to  my  sister,  and  keep  your  love  strong  and 
pure  by  never  marrying  any  one  else." 

The  thirty  lovers  who  had  shown  such  unmanly 
feeling  now  fully  realised  the  sorrow  they  had  caused, 
and  in  order  to  show  their  contrition  they  too  helped 
to  build  the  shrine  of  the  unfortunate  maiden,  where  to 
this  day  a  ceremony  takes  place  on  the  loth  of  June, 
and  it  is  said  that  the  spirit  of  O  Cho  San  comes 
in  the  rain. 

The  Spirit  of  the  Great  Awabi 

The  morning  after  a  great  earthquake  had  devas- 
tated the  fishing  village  of  Nanao,  it  was  observed  that 
about  two  miles  from  the  shore  a  rock  had  sprung  up 
as  the  result  of  the  seismic  disturbance  and,  moreover, 
that  the  sea  had  become  muddy.  One  night  a  number 
of  fishermen  were  passing  by  the  rock,  when  they 
observed,  near  at  hand,  a  most  extraordinary  light  that 

339 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

appeared  to  float  up  from  the  bottom  of  the  sea  with  a 
glory  as  bright  as  the  sun.  The  fishermen  shipped 
their  oars  and  gazed  upon  the  wonderful  spectacle  with 
considerable  surprise,  but  when  the  light  was  suddenly 
accompanied  by  a  deep  rumbling  sound,  the  sailors 
feared  another  earthquake  and  made  all  speed  for 
Nanao. 

On  the  third  day  the  wondrous  rays  from  the  deep 
increased  in  brilliance,  so  that  folk  standing  on  the  shore 
of  Nanao  could  see  them  distinctly,  and  the  super- 
stitious fishermen  became  more  and  more  frightened. 
Only  Kansuke  and  his  son  Matakichi  had  sufficient 
courage  to  go  fishing.  On  their  return  journey  they 
reached  the  Rock  Island,  and  were  drawing  in  their  line 
when  Kansuke  lost  his  balance  and  fell  into  the  sea. 

Though  old  Kansuke  was  a  good  swimmer,  he  went 
down  like  a  stone  and  did  not  rise  to  the  surface. 
Matakichi,  deeming  this  strange,  dived  into  the  water, 
almost  blinded  by  the  mysterious  rays  we  have  already 
described.  When  he  at  length  reached  the  bottom  he 
discovered  innumerable  awabi  (ear-shells),  and  in  the 
middle  of  the  group  one  of  vast  size.  From  all  these 
shells  there  poured  forth  a  brilliant  light,  and  though 
it  was  like  day  under  the  water,  Matakichi  could  find 
no  trace  of  his  father.  Eventually  he  was  forced  to  rise 
to  the  surface,  only  to  find  that  the  rough  sea  had 
broken  his  boat.  However,  scrambling  upon  a  piece 
of  wreckage,  with  the  aid  of  a  favourable  wind  and 
current  he  at  last  reached  the  shore  of  Nanao,  and  gave 
the  villagers  an  account  of  his  remarkable  adventure, 
and  of  the  loss  of  his  old  father. 

Matakichi,  grieving  sorely  over  the  death  of  his 
parent,  went  to  the  old  village  priest  and  begged  that 
worthy  that  he  would  make  him  one  of  his  disciples  in 
order  that  he  might  pray  the  more  efficaciously  for  the 
34° 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  GREAT  AWABI 

spirit  of  his  father.  The  priest  readily  consented,  and 
about  three  weeks  later  they  took  boat  to  the  Rock 
Island,  where  both  prayed  ardently  for  the  soul  of 
Kansuke. 

That  night  the  old  priest  awoke  with  a  start  and  saw 
an  ancient  man  standing  by  his  bedside.  With  a  pro- 
found bow  the  stranger  thus  spoke  :  "  I  am  the  Spirit 
of  the  Great  Awabi,  and  I  am  more  than  one  thousand 
years  old.  I  live  in  the  sea  near  the  Rock  Island,  and 
this  morning  I  heard  you  praying  for  the  soul  of  Kan- 
suke. Alas  !  good  priest,  your  prayers  have  deeply 
moved  me,  but  in  shame  and  sorrow  I  confess  that  I  ate 
Kansuke.  I  have  bade  my  followers  depart  elsewhere, 
and  in  order  to  atone  for  my  sin  1  shall  take  my  own 
wretched  life,  so  that  the  pearl  that  is  within  me  may 
be  given  to  Matakichi."  And  having  uttered  these 
words,  the  Spirit  of  the  Great  Awabi  suddenly  dis- 
appeared. 

When  Matakichi  awoke  next  morning  and  opened 
the  shutters  he  discovered  the  enormous  awabi  he  had 
seen  near  the  Rock  Island.  He  took  it  to  the  old  priest, 
who,  after  listening  to  his  disciple's  story,  gave  an 
account  of  his  own  experience.  The  great  pearl  and 
shell  of  the  awabi  were  placed  in  the  temple,  and  the 
body  was  reverently  buried. 


34* 


CHAPTER  XXVIII  j  SUPERSTITIONS 

Japanese  Superstition 

THE  subject  of  Japanese  superstition  is  of  special 
importance,  because  it  serves  to  indicate  the 
channel  by  which  many  myths  and  legends,  but 
more  particularly  folk-lore,  have  evolved.  Superstition 
is,  as  it  were,  the  raw  material  out  of  which  innumerable 
strange  beliefs  are  gradually  fashioned  into  stories,  and 
an  inquiry  into  the  subject  will  show  us  the  peasant 
mind  striving  to  counteract  certain  supernatural  forces, 
or  to  turn  them  to  advantage  in  every-day  life.  Many 
superstitions  have  already  been  recorded  in  these  pages, 
and  in  the  present  chapter  we  shall  deal  with  those  that 
have  not  been  treated  elsewhere.  It  is  scarcely  necessary 
to  point  out  that  these  superstitions,  selected  from  a 
vast  store  of  quaint  beliefs,  are  necessarily  of  a  primitive 
kind  and  must  be  regarded,  excluding,  perhaps,  those 
associated  with  the  classic  art  of  divination,  as  peculiar 
to  the  more  ignorant  classes  in  Japan. 

Human  Sacrifice 

In  prehistoric  times  the  bow  was  believed  to  possess 
supernatural  power.  It  would  miraculously  appear  on 
\  the  roof  of  a  man's  house  as  a  sign  that  the  eldest 
\unmarried  daughter  must  be  sacrificed.  She  was  accord- 
ingly buried  alive  in  order  that  her  flesh  might  be 
consumed  by  the  Deity  of  Wild  Beasts.  Later  on, 
however,  the  bow  was  no  longer  the  message  of  a  cruel 
divinity,  for  it  gradually  lost  its  horrible  significance, 
and  has  now  become  a  symbol  of  security.  To  this 
day  it  may  be  seen  fixed  to  the  ridge-pole  of  a  roof,  and 
is  regarded  as  a  lucky  charm. 

We  have  another  example  of  human  sacrifice  in  the 
old  repulsive  custom  of  burying  a  man  alive  with  the 
34* 


HUMAN  SACRIFICE 

idea  of  giving  stability  to  a  bridge  or  castle.  In  the 
early  days,  when  forced  labour  existed,  there  was  un- 
fortunately scant  regard  for  the  sacredness  of  human 
life.  Those  who  laboured  without  reward  were  under 
the  control  of  a  merciless  superintendent,  who  empha- 
sised his  orders  by  means  of  a  spear.  He  was  ready 
to  kill  all  those  who  were  idle  or  in  any  way  rebellious, 
and  many  corpses  were  flung  into  the  masonry.  When 
a  river  had  to  be  dammed,  or  a  fortification  constructed 
with  the  utmost  despatch,  this  deplorable  deed  was  not 
unusual. 

When  a  new  bridge  was  built  its  utility  and  long  life 
were  assured,  not  always  by  human  sacrifice  or  sorrow, 
but  sometimes  by  happiness.  The  first  persons  allowed 
to  walk  over  a  new  bridge  were  those  of  a  particularly 
happy  disposition.  We  are  told  that  two  genial  old 
men,  who  each  had  a  family  of  twelve  children,  first 
crossed  the  Matsue  bridge,  accompanied  by  their 
wives,  children,  grandchildren,  and  great-grandchildren. 
This  joyous  procession  took  place  amid  much  re- 
joicing and  a  display  of  fireworks.  The  idea  of 
happiness  contributing  to  the  success  of  a  Japanese 
bridge  is  a  pretty  conception,  but,  unfortunately, 
the  old  bridge  of  Matsue,  now  replaced  by  one  far 
less  picturesque,  is  associated  with  a  very  unpleasant 
tradition. 

When  Horio  Yoshiharu  became  Daimyti  of  Izumo  he 
arranged  to  build  a  bridge  over  the  turbulent  river  at 
Matsue.  Many  laboured  to  carry  out  his  wishes,  but 
the  work  did  not  prosper.  Countless  great  stones 
were  flung  into  the  rushing  water  with  the  idea  of 
making  a  solid  base  on  which  to  construct  the  pillars, 
but  many  of  the  stones  were  washed  away,  and  as  soon 
as  the  bridge  took  tangible  form  it  was  wrecked  by  the 
fierce  torrent.  It  was  believed  that  the  spirits  of  the 

343 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

flood  were  angry,  and  in  order  to  appease  them  it  was 
deemed  necessary  to  offer  a  human  sacrifice.  A  man 
was  accordingly  buried  alive  below  the  central  pillar 
where  the  water  was  most  turbulent.  When  this  had 
been  done  the  work  prospered,  and  the  bridge  remained 
intact  for  three  hundred  years.  Gensuke  was  the  un- 
fortunate victim,  and  this  was  the  name  given  to  the 
central  pillar.  It  is  said  that  on  moonless  nights  a 
mysterious  red  fire  shines  from  this  pillar — the  ghostly 
emanations  of  poor  Gensuke. 

Classical  Divination 

One  of  the  most  popular  forms  of  Japanese  super- 
stition is  associated  with  divination,  and  Confucianism 
has  no  doubt  contributed  much  to  its  popularity.  The 
Tih-King,  or  "  Book  of  Changes,"  is  the  main  source  of 
the  art,  and  Confucius  devoted  so  much  time  to  the 
study  of  this  mysterious  work  that  it  is  said  that  the 
leathern  thongs  used  to  hold  the  leaves  together  were 
replaced  three  times  during  his  lifetime.  The  Tih-King 
was  commenced  by  Fu  Hsi  two  thousand  years  before 
the  birth  of  Christ,  and  Confucius  added  much  fresh 
material.  A  more  complicated  method  of  reading  the 
future  than  by  means  of  eight  trigrams  and  sixty-four 
diagrams  cannot  be  imagined.  So  involved  a  system 
of  divination  naturally  became  the  art  of  the  learned 
few,  but  in  course  of  time  it  underwent  various  modifi- 
cations. It  lost,  to  a  certain  extent,  its  most  classic 
aspect,  and  many  Japanese  diviners  sprang  up  in  the 
country  professing  to  read  the  future  for  a  small  fee, 
and  without  the  qualification  of  having  deeply  pondered 
over  the  instruction  to  be  found  in  the  Tih-King.  A 
comparatively  simple  form  of  divination  is  with  fifty 
divining  rods,  shuffled  in  a  particular  way,  and  the  final 
position  of  the  rods  is  supposed  to  answer  the  various 
344 


OTHER  FORMS  OF  DIVINATION 

questions  of  the  inquirer.  Many  diviners  in  Japan 
to-day  are  mere  charlatans  working  upon  the  credulity 
of  their  patrons,  without  fully  understanding  the  art  they 
practise.  But  in  ancient  times  divination  was  associated 
with  a  sacred  ritual.  It  was  necessary  for  the  diviner, 
like  the  old  swordsmith,  to  prepare  and  fit  himself 
for  his  task.  It  was  required  of  him  that  he  should 
thoroughly  cleanse  his  body,  seat  himself  in  a  private 
apartment,  and  go  through  the  elaborate  process  of 
holding  the  rods  in  the  spirit  of  reverence.  At  a 
certain  moment  he  was  instructed  to  close  his  eyes, 
suspend  breathing  for  a  time,  and  concentrate  his 
thoughts  on  his  work  of  divination,  for  the  old  diviner, 
like  the  old  Shinto  priest,  believed  that  he  was  calling 
the  supernatural  to  his  aid. 

Other  Forms  of  Divination 

In  other  forms  of  divination,  requiring  no  expert 
interpretation,  we  find  that  the  future  is  supposed  to 
be  revealed  in  the  cracks  and  lines  of  a  slightly  burnt 
shoulder-bone  of  a  deer,  a  method  which  closely 
resembles  the  old  English  custom  of  "reading  the 
speal-bone."  It  was  not  always  easy  to  secure  a 
deer's  shoulder-bone,  and  as  the  markings  were  of 
more  importance  than  the  bone  itself,  in  course  of  time 
burnt  tortoise-shell  took  its  place.  As  hair-combs 
were  usually  made  of  this  material,  a  woman,  by 
charring  it,  was  able  to  read  the  lines  and  ascertain  the 
constancy  or  otherwise  of  her  lover,  &c.  Girls  used  to 
read  the  riddle  of  the  future  and  see  what  it  had 
in  store  for  them  by  going  out  at  night  and  stringing 
together  the  fragmentary  remarks  of  passers-by.  This 
method  is  known  as  tsuji-ura,  but  it  is  by  no  means 
peculiar  to  Japan,  for  it  is  still  frequently  practised  by 
superstitious  people  in  our  own  country.  A  love-sick 

345 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

maiden  tried  to  discover  whether  or  not  her  love  would 
be  requited  by  placing  a  rod  in  the  ground,  surrounding 
it  with  various  offerings,  and  listening  to  the  conversa- 
tion of  wayfarers  who  chanced  to  come  that  way.1  A 
later  and  more  elaborate  development  of  this  form 
of  divination  required  three  maidens,  and  the  method 
employed  is  as  follows.  The  young  women  went  to 
where  roads  crossed  each  other,  and  thrice  repeated  an 
invocation  to  the  God  of  Roads.  When  they  had 
supplicated  this  Deity,  they  flung  rice  on  the  ground, 
for  rice  has  the  power  or  driving  away  evil  spirits. 
The  maidens  then  rubbed  their  fingers  against  the 
teeth  of  a  boxwood  comb,  because  tsuge,  the  Japanese 
name  for  this  wood,  also  means  "  to  tell."  After  these 
preparations  they  each  stood  in  a  different  position 
and  pieced  together  the  remarks  of  passers-by. 
Occasionally  some  message  from  the  future  was 
received  while  the  inquirer  stood  under  a  bridge  and 
listened  to  the  clatter  of  feet,  and  sometimes  a  -  priest 
whistling  by  inhalation  was  supposed  to  reveal  an 
omen  or  some  kind. 

Unlucky  Years  and  Days 

It  is  believed  that  certain  periods  of  life  are  extremely 
unlucky.  The  twenty-fifth,  forty-second,  and  sixty- 
first  years  of  a  man's  life  are  considered  unfortunate, 
while  the  unlucky  years  of  a  woman's  life  are  the 
nineteenth,  thirty-third,  and  thirty-seventh.  In  order 
to  prevent  calamity  during  these  periods,  it  is  necessary 
to  devote  much  time  to  religious  exercises.  Men  and 
women  are  advised  not  to  take  a  journey  during  the 

1  This  variety  of  divination  is  of  particular  interest,  for  the  rod 
symbolises  the  God  of  Roads,  the  Deity  created  from  Izanagi's  staff, 
which,  it  will  be  remembered,  he  flung  behind  him  when  pursued  in 
the  Under-world  by  the  Eight  Ugly  Females. 
346 


CHILDREN 

sixteenth,  twenty-fifth,  thirty-fourth,  forty-third,  fifty- 
second,  and  sixty-first  year.  When  superstitious 
women  wish  to  make  a  new  garment,  they  utter  an 
invocation,  and  later  on  sprinkle  three  pinches  of 
salt  on  the  shoulder  gusset.  No  woman  should  use 
her  needle  on  a  "  monkey "  day,  but  rather  on  a 
"  bird "  day.  If  the  work  is  undertaken  on  the 
former  day,  the  garment  is  in  danger  of  being  burnt  or 
rent  ;  but  if  the  apparel  is  made  on  the  latter  day,  it 
will  have  the  beauty  and  durability  of  the  feathers  of  a 
bird. 

Children 

When  a  child's  tooth  falls  out,  it  is  thrown  away 
under  the  eaves,  with  the  wish  that  it  may  be  replaced 
by  the  tooth  of  a  demon.  Sometimes  the  tooth  of 
a  little  boy  or  girl  is  thrown  on  the  floor  with  the 
request  that  it  may  be  replaced  by  the  tooth  of  a  rat. 
Children  may  be  immune  from  nightmare  if  the  word 
"  puppy  "  is  written  on  their  foreheads  ;  and  if  to  this 
precaution  is  added  a  sketch  of  the  Baku,  Eater  of 
Dreams,  the  little  one's  slumber  will  be  sure  to  be  of  a 
peaceful  kind.  The  word  "  dog  "  inscribed  on  a  child's 
forehead  is  a  protection  against  the  magic  of  foxes  and 
badgers. 

Some  of  the  nostrums  that  are  supposed  to  cure 
children's  ailments  are  very  curious.  Blood  extracted 
from  a  cock's  comb  cures  indigestion,  while  an  eruption 
on  the  head  may  be  driven  away  by  repeating  these 
words  :  "  In  the  long  days  of  spring  weeds  may  be 
removed,  but  those  in  the  garden  must  be  cut  down  at 
once."  Even  a  Japanese  baby  cries  occasionally,  but  if 
a  red  bag  containing  dog's  hair  is  fastened  on  its  back, 
it  will  immediately  cease  to  cry,  and  the  plaintive 
wailing  will  give  place  to  smiles.  Blindness  is  fre- 

347 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

quently  the  result  of  smallpox,  but  this  calamity  may 
be  prevented  by  throwing  seven  peas  into  a  well, 
reciting  seven  prayers,  and  then  drawing  off  all  the 
water  from  the  well. 

Charms 

Many  Japanese  charms  are  pieces  of  paper  bearing 
an  inscription  designed  to  avert  evil.  Another  variety 
is  inscribed  with  the  name  of  a  god.  It  takes  the  form 
of  a  long  strip  which  the  poor  fasten  on  the  outside  of 
their  houses,  while  those  who  have  not  to  contend  with 
poverty  regard  it  as  a  part  of  their  domestic  altar. 
The  imprint  of  a  child's  hand,  "obtained,"  writes 
Professor  Chamberlain,  "  by  first  wetting  the  hand  with 
ink  and  then  applying  it  to  a  sheet  of  paper,  is  believed 
to  avert  malign  influences."  Fragments  of  temples, 
rice-grains  carved  to  represent  the  Gods  of  Luck, 
minute  sutras,  copies  of  Buddha's  footprint,  and 
many  other  quaint  conceits  are  among  the  multitudinous 
charms  of  Japan. 

The  Beckoning  Leaf 

There  is  a  certain  Japanese  tree,  called  tegashiwa,  and 
its  leaves  in  shape  are  not  unlike  a  hand.  In  ancient 
days,  when  it  was  necessary  for  a  samurai  to  leave  his 
home,  he  received  just  before  his  departure  a  tai  (perch), 
which  was  served  on  the  leaf  of  a  tegashiwa  tree.  This 
was  his  farewell  repast,  and  when  the  samurai  had  eaten 
the  fish  the  leaf  was  hung  over  the  door,  in  the  belief 
that  it  would  guard  him  on  his  journey,  and  bring  him 
safely  back  to  his  home  again.  It  was  not  the  shape, 
but  the  movement  of  the  tegashiwa  leaf  that  gave  rise 
to  this  pleasing  fancy,  for  the  leaf,  when  blown  by  the 
wind,  appeared  to  beckon  after  the  graceful  Japanese 
manner. 
348 


BIMBOGAMI 

Bimbogami 

Dry  peas  are  usually  found  to  be  efficacious  in  driving 
away  evil  spirits,  but  Bimbogami,  the  God  of  Poverty, 
is  not  so  easily  overcome.  There  is  something  pathetic 
in  the  idea  that  poverty  should  be  regarded  as  an 
obstinate  and  most  unwelcome  fellow,  for  at  this  point 
we  touch  reality.  However,  though  Bimbogami  takes 
no  notice  of  dry  peas,  he  may  be  vanquished  by  other 
means. 

The  charcoal  fire  in  a  Japanese  kitchen  is  blown  into 
a  cheerful  glow  by  means  of  a  utensil  called  hlfukidake^ 
a  bamboo  tube — a  more  artistic  and  simple  form  of 
bellows,  where  the  inflated  cheeks  take  the  place  of 
our  hand-moved  leather  bag.  Before  long  the  bamboo 
tube  cracks  with  the  intense  heat.  When  this  takes 
place  a  copper  coin  is  put  inside  the  tube,  an  incantation 
is  uttered,  and  then  the  "  fire-blow-tube  "  is  thrown 
either  into  the  street  or  into  a  stream.  This  throwing 
away  of  the  useless  bamboo  of  the  kitchen  is  always 
supposed  to  signify  the  forced  departure  of  Bimbogami. 
Most  of  us  are  familiar  with  what  is  known  as  the 
Death-spider  that  ticks  l;ke  a  watch  in  our  walls.  In 
Japan  it  is  called  Bimbomushi,  "  Poverty-Insect."  Its 
ticking  does  not  foretell  the  coming  of  Death,  as  is  the 
belief  in  our  own  country,  but  it  denotes  the  unwelcome 
presence  of  the  God  of  Poverty  in  the  Japanese  home. 


349 


CHAPTER  XXIX  :  SUPERNATURAL 
BEINGS 

The  Kappa 

THE  Kappa  is  a  river  goblin,  a  hairy  creature 
with  the  body  of  a  tortoise  and  scaly  limbs. 
His  head  somewhat  resembles  that  of  an  ape, 
in  the  top  of  which  there  is  a  cavity  containing  a  mys- 
terious fluid,  said  to  be  the  source  of  the  creature's 
power.  The  chief  delight  of  the  Kappa  is  to  challenge 
human  beings  to  single  combat,  and  the  unfortunate 
man  who  receives  an  invitation  of  this  kind  cannot 
refuse.  Though  the  Kappa  is  fierce  and  quarrelsome, 
he  is,  nevertheless,  extremely  polite.  The  wayfarer 
who  receives  his  peremptory  summons  gives  the  goblin 
a  profound  bow.  The  courteous  Kappa  acknowledges 
the  obeisance,  and  in  inclining  his  head  the  strength- 
giving  liquid  runs  out  from  the  hollow  in  his  cranium, 
and  becoming  feeble,  his  warlike  characteristics  imme- 
diately disappear.  To  defeat  the  Kappa,  however,  is 
just  as  unfortunate  as  to  receive  a  beating  at  his  hands, 
for  the  momentary  glory  of  the  conquest  is  rapidly 
followed  by  a  wasting  away  of  the  unfortunate  wayfarer. 
The  Kappa  possesses  the  propensities  of  a  vampire,  for 
he  strikes  people  in  the  water,  as  they  bathe  in  lake 
or  river,  and  sucks  their  blood.  In  a  certain  part  of 
Japan  the  Kappa  is  said  to  claim  two  victims  every  year. 
When  they  emerge  from  the  water  their  skin  becomes 
blanched,  and  they  gradually  pine  away  as  the  result  of 
a  terrible  disease. 

In  Izumo  the  village  people  refer  to  the  Kappa  as 
Kawako  ("The  Child  of  the  River").  Near  Matsue 
there  is  a  little  hamlet  called  Kawachi-mura,  and  on  the 
bank  of  the  river  Kawachi  there  is  a  small  temple  known 
as  Kawako-no-miya,  that  is,  the  temple  of  the  Kawako  or 


The  Kappa  and  his  Victim. 


350 


THE  TENGU 

Kappa,  said  to  contain  a  document  signed  by  this  river 
goblin.  Concerning  this  document  the  following  legend 
is  recorded. 

The  Kappa's  Promise 

In  ancient  days  a  Kappa  dwelt  in  the  river  Kawachi, 
and  he  made  a  practice  of  seizing  and  destroying  a 
number  of  villagers,  and  in  addition  many  of  their 
domestic  animals.  On  one  occasion  a  horse  went  into 
the  river,  and  the  Kappa,  in  trying  to  capture  it,  in  some 
way  twisted  his  neck,  but  in  spite  of  considerable  pain 
he  refused  to  let  his  victim  go.  The  frightened  horse 
sprang  up  the  river  bank  and  ran  into  a  neighbouring 
field  with  the  Kappa  still  holding  on  to  the  terrified 
animal.  The  owner  of  the  horse,  together  with  many 
villagers,  securely  bound  the  Child  of  the  River.  "  Let 
us  kill  this  horrible  creature,"  said  the  peasants,  "for 
he  has  assuredly  committed  many  horrible  crimes,  and 
we  should  do  well  to  be  rid  of  such  a  dreadful  monster." 
"  No,"  replied  the  owner  of  the  horse,  "we  will  not  kill 
him.  We  will  make  him  swear  never  to  destroy  any 
of  the  inhabitants  or  the  domestic  animals  of  this 
village."  A  document  was  accordingly  prepared,  and 
the  Kappa  was  asked  to  peruse  it,  and  when  he  had 
done  so  to  sign  his  name.  "  I  cannot  write,"  replied  the 
penitent  Kappa,  "  but  I  will  dip  my  hand  in  ink  and 
press  it  upon  the  document."  When  the  creature  had 
made  his  inky  mark,  he  was  released  and  allowed  to 
return  to  the  river,  and  from  that  day  to  this  the  Kappa 
has  remained  true  to  his  promise. 

The  Tengu 

We  have  already  referred  to  the  Tengu  in  the  story 
of  Yoshitsune    and  Benkei.1     In   this   legend    it  will 
i  See  Chapter  II. 

351 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

be  remembered  that  Yoshitsune,  one  of  the  greatest 
warriors  of  Old  Japan,  learnt  the  art  of  swordsmanship 
from  the  King  of  the  Tengu.  Professor  B.  H.  Chamber- 
lain describes  the  Tengu  as  "  a  class  of  goblins  or  gnomes 
that  haunt  the  mountains  and  woodlands,  and  play 
many  pranks.  They  have  an  affinity  to  birds  ;  for  they 
are  winged  and  beaked,  sometimes  clawed.  But  often 
the  beak  becomes  a  large  and  enormously  long  human 
nose,  and  the  whole  creature  is  conceived  as  human, 
nothing  bird-like  remaining  but  the  fan  of  feathers  with 
which  it  fans  itself.  It  is  often  dressed  in  leaves,  and 
wears  on  its  head  a  tiny  cap."  In  brief,  the  Tengu  are 
minor  divinities,  and  are  supreme  in  the  art  of  fencing, 
and,  indeed,  in  the  use  of  weapons  generally.  The 
ideographs  with  which  the  name  is  written  signify 
"  heavenly  dog,"  which  is  misleading,  for  the  creature 
bears  no  resemblance  to  a  dog,  and  is,  as  we  have 
already  described,  partly  human  and  partly  bird-like  in 
appearance.  There  are  other  confusing  traditions  in 
regard  to  the  word  Tengu,  for  it  is  said  that  the  Emperor 
Jomei  gave  the  name  to  a  certain  meteor  "  which  whirled 
from  east  to  west  with  a  loud  detonation.' '  Then,  again, 
a  still  more  ancient  belief  informs  us  that  the  Tengu  were 
emanations  from  Susa-no-o,  the  Impetuous  Male,  and 
again,  that  they  were  female  demons  with  heads  of  beasts 
and  great  ears  and  noses  of  such  enormous  length  that 
they  could  carry  men  on  them  and  fly  with  their  sus- 
pended burden  for  thousands  of  miles  without  fatigue, 
and  in  addition  their  teeth  were  so  strong  and  so  sharp 
that  these  female  demons  could  bite  through  swords  and 
spears.  The  Tengu  is  still  believed  to  inhabit  certain 
forests  and  the  recesses  of  high  mountains.  Generally 
speaking,  the  Tengu  is  not  a  malevolent  being,  for 
he  possesses  a  keen  sense  of  humour,  and  is  fond  of 
a  practical  joke.  Sometimes,  however,  the  Tengu 


ADVENTURES  OF  KIUCHI  HEIZAYEMON 

mysteriously  hides  human  beings,  and  when  finally 
they  return  to  their  homes  they  do  so  in  a  demented 
condition.  This  strange  occurrence  is  known  as  Tengu- 
kakushi,  or  hidden  by  a  Tengu. 

Tobikawa  Imitates  a  Tengu 

Tobikawa,  an  ex-wrestler  who  lived  in  Matsue,  spent 
his  time  in  hunting  and  killing  foxes.  He  did  not 
believe  in  the  various  superstitions  concerning  this 
animal,  and  it  was  generally  believed  that  his  great 
strength  made  him  immune  from  the  witchcraft  of  foxes. 
However,  there  were  some  people  of  Matsue  who  pro- 
phesied that  Tobikawa  would  come  to  an  untimely  end 
as  the  result  of  his  daring  deeds  and  disbelief  in  super- 
natural powers.  Tobikawa  was  extremely  fond  of  prac- 
tical jokes,  and  on  one  occasion  he  had  the  hardihood  to 
imitate  the  general  appearance  of  a  Tengu,  feathers,  long 
nose,  claws,  and  all.  Having  thus  disguised  himself 
he  climbed  up  into  a  tree  belonging  to  a  sacred  grove. 
Presently  the  peasants  observed  him,  and  deeming  the 
creature  they  saw  to  be  a  Tengu,  they  began  to  worship 
him  and  to  place  many  offerings  about  the  tree.  Alas  ! 
the  dismal  prophecy  came  true,  for  while  the  merry 
Tobikawa  was  trying  to  imitate  the  acrobatic  antics  of  a 
Tengu,  he  slipped  from  a  branch  and  was  killed. 

The  Adventures  of  Kiuchi  Heizayemon 

We  have  already  referred  to  the  Tengu-kakushi,  and 
the  following  legend  gives  a  graphic  account  of  this 
supernatural  occurrence. 

One  evening,  Kiuchi  Heizayemon,  a  retainer,  myste- 
riously disappeared.  Kiuchi's  friends,  when  they  heard 
of  what  had  taken  place,  searched  for  him  in  every 
direction.  Eventually  they  discovered  the  missing  man's 
clogs,  scabbard,  and  sword  ;  but  the  sheath  was  bent 

z  353 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

like  the  curved  handle  of  a  tea-kettle.  They  had  no 
sooner  made  this  lamentable  discovery  than  they  also 
perceived  Kiuchi's  girdle,  which  had  been  cut  into  three 
pieces.  At  midnight,  those  who  searched  heard  a  strange 
cry,  a  voice  calling  for  help.  Suzuki  Shichiro,  one  of  the 
party,  chanced  to  look  up,  and  he  saw  a  strange  creature 
with  wings  standing  upon  the  roof  of  a  temple.  When 
the  rest  of  the  band  had  joined  their  comrade,  they 
all  looked  upon  the  weird  figure,  and  one  said :  "  I 
believe  it  is  nothing  but  an  umbrella  flapping  in  the 
wind."  "  Let  us  make  quite  sure,"  replied  Suzuki 
Shichiro,  and  with  these  words  he  lifted  up  his  voice, 
and  cried  loudly:  "  Are  you  the  lost  Kiuchi  ?"  "  Yes," 
was  the  reply,  "and  I  pray  that  you  will  take  me 
down  from  this  temple  as  speedily  as  possible." 

When  Kiuchi  had  been  brought  down  from  the  temple 
roof,  he  fainted,  and  remained  in  a  swoon  for  three  days. 
At  length,  gaining  consciousness,  he  gave  the  following 
account  of  his  strange  adventure : 

"  The  evening  when  I  disappeared  I  heard  some  one 
shouting  my  name  over  and  over  again,  and  going  out  I 
discovered  a  black-robed  monk,  bawling c  Heizayemon ! ' 
Beside  the  monk  stood  a  man  of  great  stature  ;  his  face 
was  red,  and  his  dishevelled  hair  fell  upon  the  ground. 
c  Climb  up  on  yonder  roof,'  he  shouted  fiercely.  I 
refused  to  obey  such  an  evil-faced  villain,  and  drew  my 
sword,  but  in  a  moment  he  bent  the  blade  and  broke  my 
scabbard  into  fragments.  Then  my  girdle  was  roughly 
torn  off  and  cut  into  three  pieces.  When  these  things 
had  been  done,  I  was  carried  to  a  roof,  and  there 
severely  chastised.  But  this  was  not  the  end  of  my 
trouble,  for  after  I  had  been  beaten,  I  was  forced  to  seat 
myself  on  a  round  tray.  In  a  moment  I  was  whirled 
into  the  air,  and  the  tray  carried  me  with  great  speed  to 
many  regions.  When  it  appeared  to  me  that  I  had 
354 


MOUNTAIN  WOMAN  AND  MOUNTAIN  MAN 

travelled  through  space  for  ten  days,  I  prayed  to  the 
Lord  Buddha,  and  found  myself  on  what  appeared  to 
be  the  summit  of  a  mountain,  but  in  reality  it  was  the 
roof  of  the  temple  whence  you,  my  comrades,  rescued 


me." 


A  Modern  Belief  in  the  Tengu 

Captain  Brinkley,  in  Japan  and  China^  informs  us 
that  as  late  as  1860  the  officials  of  the  Yedo  Govern- 
ment showed  their  belief  in  supernatural  beings.  Prior 
to  the  visit  of  the  Shvgun  to  Nikko,  they  caused  the 
following  notice  to  be  exhibited  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
mausolea : 

"TO  THE  TENGU  AND  OTHER  DEMONS 

"  Whereas  our  ShSgun  intends  to  visit  the  Nikko  Mausolea 
next  April,  now  therefore  ye  Tengu  and  other  Demons 
inhabiting  these  mountains  must  remove  elsewhere  until 
the  Shogurfs  visit  is  concluded. 

"  (Signed)         MIZUNO,  Lord  of  Dewa. 
"Dated  July  1860." 

The  local  officials  were  not  content  with  a  notice  of 
this  kind.  After  duly  notifying  the  Tengu  and  other 
demons  of  the  coming  of  the  Shdgun,  the  exact  moun- 
tains were  specified  where  these  creatures  might  live 
during  the  ruler's  visit. 

The  Mountain  "Woman  and  the  ML  'titain  Man 

The  Mountain  Woman's  body  is  covered  with  long 
white  hair.  She  is  looked  upon  as  an  ogre  (kijo\  and,  as 
such,  figures  in  Japanese  romance.  She  has  cannibalistic 
tendencies,  and  is  able  to  fly  about  like  a  moth  and 
traverse  pathless  mountains  with  ease. 

The  Mountain  Man  is  said  to  resemble  a  great  dark- 

355 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

haired  monkey.  He  is  extremely  strong,  and  thinks 
nothing  of  stealing  food  from  the  villages.  He  is,  how- 
ever, always  ready  to  assist  woodcutters,  and  will  gladly 
carry  their  timber  for  them  in  exchange  for  a  ball  of  rice. 
It  is  useless  to  capture  or  kill  him,  for  an  attack  of  any 
kind  upon  the  Mountain  Man  brings  misfortune,  and 
sometimes  death,  upon  the  assailants. 

Sennin 

The  Sennin  are  mountain  recluses,  and  many  are  the 
legends  told  in  connection  with  them.  Though  they 
have  human  form,  they  are,  at  the  same  time,  immortal, 
and  adepts  in  the  magical  arts.  The  first  great  Japanese 
sennin  was  Yosho,  who  was  born  at  Noto  A.D.  870. 
Just  before  his  birth  his  mother  dreamt  that  she  had 
swallowed  the  sun,  a  dream  that  foretold  the  miraculous 
power  of  her  child.  Yosho  was  studious  and  devout, 
and  spent  most  of  his  time  in  studying  the  "  Lotus  of 
the  Law."  He  lived  very  simply  indeed,  and  at  length 
reduced  his  diet  to  a  single  grain  of  millet  a  day.  He 
departed  from  the  earth  A.D.  901,  having  attained 
much  supernatural  power.  He  left  his  mantle  hanging 
on  the  branch  of  a  tree,  together  with  a  scroll  bearing 
these  words  :  "  I  bequeath  my  mantle  to  Emmei  of 
Dogen-ji."  In  due  time  Emmei  became  a  sennin ,  and, 
like  his  master,  was  able  to  perform  many  marvels. 
Shortly  after  Yosho's  disappearance  his  father  became 
seriously  ill,  and  he  prayed  most  ardently  that  he  might 
see  his  well-loved  son  again.  In  reply  to  his  prayers, 
Yosho's  voice  was  heard  overhead  reciting  the  "  Lotus 
of  the  Law."  When  he  had  concluded  his  recitations, 
he  said  to  his  stricken  father :  "  If  flowers  are  offered 
and  incense  burned  on  the  1 8th  of  every  month,  my 
spirit  will  descend  and  greet  you,  drawn  by  the  perfume 
of  the  flowers  and  the  blue  smoke  of  incense." 
356 


A  GLOBE  OF  FIRE 

Sennin  in  Art 

Sennin  are  frequently  depicted  in  Japanese  art : 
Chokoro  releasing  his  magic  horse  from  a  gigantic 
gourd ;  Gama  with  his  wizard  toad  ;  Tekkai  blowing 
his  soul  into  space  ;  Roko  balancing  himself  on  a 
flying  tortoise  ;  and  Kum6,  who  fell  from  his  chariot  of 
cloud  because,  contrary  to  his  holy  calling,  he  loved 
the  image  of  a  fair  girl  reflected  in  a  stream. 

Miraculous  Lights 

There  are  many  varieties  of  fire  apparitions  in  Japan. 
There  is  the  ghost-fire,  demon-light,  fox-flame,  flash- 
pillar,  badger-blaze,  dragon-torch,  and  lamp  of  Buddha. 
In  addition  supernatural  fire  is  said  to  emanate  from 
certain  birds,  such  as  the  blue  heron,  through  the  skin, 
mouth,  and  eyes.  There  are  also  fire-wheels,  or  mes- 
sengers from  Hades,  sea-fires,  besides  the  flames  that 
spring  from  the  cemetery. 

A  Globe  of  Fire 

From  the  beginning  of  March  to  the  end  of  June 
there  may  be  seen  in  the  province  of  Settsu  a  globe  of 
fire  resting  on  the  top  of  a  tree,  and  within  this  globe 
there  is  a  human  face.  In  ancient  days  there  once 
lived  in  Nikaido  district  of  Settsu  province  a  priest 
named  Nikobo,  famous  for  his  power  to  exorcise  evil 
spirits  and  evil  influences  of  every  kind.  When  the 
local  governor's  wife  fell  sick,  Nikobo  was  requested  to 
attend  and  see  what  he  could  do  to  restore  her  to  health 
again.  Nikobo  willingly  complied,  and  spent  many  days 
by  the  bedside  of  the  suffering  lady.  He  diligently 
practised  his  art  of  exorcism,  and  in  due  time  the 
governor's  wife  recovered.  But  the  gentle  and  kind- 
hearted  Nikobo  was  not  thanked  for  what  he  had  done  ; 

357 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

on  the  contrary,  the  governor  became  jealous  of  him, 
accused  him  of  a  foul  crime,  and  caused  him  to  be  put 
to  death.  The  soul  of  Nikobo  flashed  forth  in  its 
anger  and  took  the  form  of  a  miraculous  globe  of  fire, 
which  hovered  over  the  murderer's  house.  The  strange 
light,  with  the  justly  angry  face  peering  from  it,  had  its 
effect,  for  the  governor  was  stricken  with  a  fever  that 
finally  killed  him.  Every  year,  at  the  time  already 
indicated,  Nikobo's  ghost  pays  a  visit  to  the  scene  of 
its  suffering  and  revenge. 

The  Ghostly  Wrestlers 

In  Omi  province,  at  the  base  of  the  Katada  hills,  there 
is  a  lake.  During  the  cloudy  nights  of  early  autumn 
a  ball  of  fire  emerges  from  the  margin  of  the  lake, 
expanding  and  contracting  as  it  floats  toward  the  hills. 
When  it  rises  to  the  height  of  a  man  it  reveals  two 
shining  faces,  to  develop  slowly  into  the  torsos  of  two 
naked  wrestlers,  locked  together  and  struggling  furi- 
ously. The  ball  of  fire,  with  its  fierce  combatants,  floats 
slowly  away  to  a  recess  in  the  Katada  hills.  It  is  harm- 
less so  long  as  no  one  interferes  with  it,  but  it  resents 
any  effort  to  retard  its  progress.  According  to  a  legend 
concerning  this  phenomenon,  we  are  informed  that  a 
certain  wrestler,  who  had  never  suffered  a  defeat,  waited 
at  midnight  for  the  coming  of  this  ball  of  fire.  When 
it  reached  him  he  attempted  to  drag  it  down  by  force, 
but  the  luminous  globe  proceeded  on  its  way,  and  hurled 
the  foolish  wrestler  to  a  considerable  distance. 

Baku 

In  Japan,  among  superstitious  people,  evil  dreams 
are  believed  to  be  the  result  of  evil  spirits,  and  the 
supernatural  creature  called  Baku  is  known  as  Eater  of 
Dreams.  The  Baku>  like  so  many  mythological  beings, 
358 


THE  SHOJO'S  WHITE  SAKE 

is  a  curious  mingling  of  various  animals.  It  has  the 
face  of  a  lion,  the  body  of  a  horse,  the  tail  of  a  cow,  the 
forelock  of  a  rhinoceros,  and  the  feet  of  a  tiger.  Several 
evil  dreams  are  mentioned  in  an  old  Japanese  book, 
such  as  two  snakes  twined  together,  a  fox  with  the  voice 
of  a  man,  blood-stained  garments,  a  talking  rice-pot, 
and  so  on.  When  a  Japanese  peasant  awakens  from  an 
evil  nightmare,  he  cries  :  "  Devour,  O  Baku  I  devour 
my  evil  dream."  At  one  time  pictures  of  the  Baku 
were  hung  up  in  Japanese  houses  and  its  name  written 
upon  pillows.  It  was  believed  that  if  the  Baku  could 
be  induced  to  eat  a  horrible  dream,  the  creature  had  the 
power  to  change  it  into  good  fortune. 

The  Shojo's  White  Sake1 

The  Shojv  is  a  sea  monster  with  bright  red  hair,  and 
is  extremely  fond  of  drinking  large  quantities  of  sacred 
white  sake.  The  following  legend  will  give  some 
account  of  this  creature  and  the  nature  of  his  favourite 
beverage. 

We  have  already  referred  to  the  miraculous  appear- 
ance of  Mount  Fuji.2  On  the  day  following  this  alleged 
miracle  a  poor  man  named  Yurine,  who  lived  near  this 
mountain,  became  extremely  ill,  and  feeling  that  his 
days  were  numbered,  he  desired  to  drink  a  cup  of  sake 
before  he  died.  But  there  was  no  rice  wine  in  the  little 
hut,  and  his  boy,  Koyuri,  desiring  if  possible  to  fulfil 
his  father's  dying  wish,  wandered  along  the  shore  with 
a  gourd  in  his  hand.  He  had  not  gone  far  when  he 
heard  some  one  calling  his  name.  On  looking  about 
him  he  discovered  two  strange-looking  creatures  with 
long  red  hair  and  skin  the  colour  of  pink  cherry-blossom, 

*  Adapted  from  Ancient  Tales  and  Folk-lore  of  Japan,  by  R.  Gordon 
Smith, 

1  See  Chapter  IX. 

359 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

wearing  green  seaweed  girdles  about  their  loins.  Draw- 
ing nearer,  he  perceived  that  these  beings  were  drinking 
white  sake  from  large  flat  cups,  which  they  continually 
replenished  from  a  great  stone  jar. 

"  My  father  is  dying,"  said  the  boy,  "  and  he  much 
desires  to  drink  a  cup  of  sakt  before  he  departs  this  life. 
But  alas  !  we  are  poor,  and  1  know  not  how  to  grant 
him  his  last  request." 

"  I  will  fill  your  gourd  with  this  white  sakt"  replied 
one  of  the  creatures,  and  when  he  had  done  so  Koyuri 
ran  with  haste  to  his  father. 

The  old  man  drank  the  white  sak&  eagerly.  "  Bring 
me  more,"  he  cried,  "  for  this  is  no  common  wine.  It 
has  given  me  strength,  and  already  I  feel  new  life  flow- 
ing through  my  old  veins." 

So  Koyuri  returned  to  the  seashore,  and  the  red-haired 
creatures  gladly  gave  him  more  of  their  wine  ;  indeed, 
they  supplied  him  with  the  beverage  for  five  days,  and 
by  the  end  of  that  time  Yurine  was  restored  to  health 
again. 

Now  Yurine' s  neighbour  was  a  man  called  Mamikiko, 
and  when  he  heard  that  Yurine  had  recently  obtained  a 
copious  supply  of  sakt  he  grew  jealous,  for  above  all 
things  he  loved  a  cup  of  rice  wine.  One  day  he  called 
Koyuri  and  questioned  him  in  regard  to  the  matter, 
saying  :  "  Let  me  taste  the  sakL"  He  roughly  snatched 
the  gourd  from  the  boy's  hand  and  began  to  drink, 
making  a  wry  face  as  he  did  so.  "  This  is  not  sakt  !  " 
he  exclaimed  fiercely  ;  "  it  is  filthy  water,"  and  having 
said  these  words,  he  began  to  beat  the  boy,  crying  : 
"  Take  me  to  those  red  people  you  have  told  me  about. 
I  will  get  from  them  fine  sakt,  and  let  the  beating  I  have 
given  you  warn  you  never  again  to  play  a  trick  upon 
me." 

Koyuri  and  Mamikiko  went  along  the  shore  together, 
360 


THE  SHOJO'S  WHITE  SAKE 

and  presently  they  came  to  where  the  red-haired  crea- 
tures were  drinking.  When  Koyuri  saw  them  he 
began  to  weep. 

"  Why  are  you  crying  ? "  said  one  of  the  creatures. 
"  Surely  your  good  father  has  not  drunk  all  the  sakt 
already  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  the  boy,  "  but  I  have  met  with 
misfortune.  This  man  I  bring  with  me,  Mamikiko  by 
name,  drank  some  of  the  sakt,  spat  it  out  immediately, 
and  threw  the  rest  away,  saying  that  I  had  played  a  trick 
upon  him  and  given  him  foul  water  to  drink.  Be  so 
good  as  to  let  me  have  some  more  sakt  for  my  father." 

The  red-haired  man  filled  the  gourd,  and  chuckled 
over  Mamikiko's  unpleasant  experience. 

"  1  should  also  like  a  cup  or  sake,"  said  Mamikiko. 
"  Will  you  let  me  have  some  ?  " 

Permission  having  been  granted,  the  greedy  Mami- 
kiko filled  the  largest  cup  he  could  find,  smiling  over 
the  delicious  fragrance.  But  directly  he  tasted  the  sake 
he  felt  sick,  and  angrily  remonstrated  with  the  red- 
haired  creature. 

The  red  man  thus  made  answer  :  "  You  are  evidently 
not  aware  that  I  am  a  Shojv,  and  that  I  live  near  the 
Sea  Dragon's  Palace.  When  I  heard  of  the  sudden 
appearance  of  Mount  Fuji  I  came  here  to  see  it,  assured 
that  such  an  event  was  a  good  omen  and  foretold  of 
the  prosperity  and  perpetuity  of  Japan.  While  enjoy- 
ing the  beauty  of  this  fair  mountain  I  met  Koyuri,  and 
had  the  good  fortune  to  save  his  honest  father's  life  by 
giving  him  some  of  our  sacred  white  sakt  that  restores 
youth  to  human  beings,  together  with  an  increase  in 
years,  while  to  Shojv  it  vanquishes  death.  Koyuri's  father 
is  a  good  man,  and  the  sakt  was  thus  able  to  exert  its 
full  and  beneficent  power  upon  him  ;  but  you  are  greedy 
and  selfish,  and  to  all  such  this  sak&  is  poison." 

361 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

"  Poison  ? "  groaned  the  now  contrite  Mamikiko. 
"  Good  Shojvy  have  mercy  upon  me  and  spare  my  life  !  " 

The  Shojv  gave  him  a  powder,  saying  :  "Swallow 
this  in  sakt  and  repent  of  your  wickedness." 

Mamikiko  did  so,  and  this  time  he  found  that  the 
white  sakt  was  delicious.  He  lost  no  time  in  making 
friends  with  Yurine,  and  some  years  later  these  men 
took  up  their  abode  on  the  southern  side  of  Mount 
Fuji,  brewed  the  Shop's  white  sakt,  and  lived  for  three 
hundred  years. 

The  Dragon 

The  Dragon  is  undoubtedly  the  most  famous  ot 
mythical  beasts,  but,  though  Chinese  in  origin,  it  has 
become  intimately  associated  with  Japanese  mythology. 
The  creature  lives  for  the  most  part  in  the  ocean,  river, 
or  lake,  but  it  has  the  power  of  flight  and  rules  over 
clouds  and  tempests.  The  Dragon  of  China  and 
Japan  resemble  each  other,  with  the  exception  that  the 
\  Japanese  variety  has  three  claws,  while  that  of  the 
[Celestial  Kingdom  has  five.  The  Chinese  Emperor 
i  ao  was  said  to  be  the  son  of  a  dragon,  and  many 
rulers  of  that  country  were  metaphorically  referred  to 
as  "  dragon-faced. "  The  Dragon  has  the  head  of  a 
camel,  horns  of  a  deer,  eyes  of  a  hare,  scales  of  a  carp, 
paws  of  a  tiger,  and  claws  resembling  those  of  an  eagle. 
In  addition  it  has  whiskers,  a  bright  jewel  under  its 
chin,  and  a  measure  on  the  top  of  its  head  which 
enables  it  to  ascend  to  Heaven  at  will.  This  is  merely 
a  general  description  and  does  not  apply  to  all  dragons, 
some  of  which  have  heads  of  so  extraordinary  a  kind 
that  they  cannot  be  compared  with  anything  in  the 
animal  kingdom.  The  breath  of  the  Dragon  changes 
into  clouds  from  which  come  either  rain  or  fire.  It  is 
able  to  expand  or  contract  its  body,  and  in  addition  it 
362 


THE  DRAGON 

has  the  power  of  transformation  and  invisibility.  In 
both  Chinese  and  Japanese  mythology  the  watery 
principle  is  associated  with  the  Dragon,  as  we  have 
already  seen  in  the  story  of  Urashima.  the  Empress 
Jingo,  and  the  adventures  of  Hoori,  &c. 

The  Dragon  ( Tatsu)  is  one  of  the  signs  of  the  zodiac, 
and  the  four  seas,  which  in  the  old  Chinese  conception 
limited  the  habitable  earth,  were  ruled  over  by  four 
Dragon  Kings.  The  Celestial  Dragon  ruled  over  the 
Mansions  of  the  Gods,  the  Spiritual  Dragon  presided 
over  rain,  the  Earth  Dragon  marked  the  courses  of 
rivers,  and  the  Dragon  of  Hidden  Treasure  guarded 
precious  metals  and  stones. 

A  white  Dragon,  which  lived  in -a  pond  at  Yamashiro, 
transformed  itself  every  fifty  years  into  a  bird  called 
O-Goncho,  with  a  voice  resembling  the  howling  of  a 
wolf.  Whenever  this  bird  appeared  it  brought  with  it 
a  great  famine.  On  one  occasion,  while  Fuk  Hi  was 
standing  by  the  Yellow  River,  the  Yellow  Dragon 
presented  him  with  a  scroll  inscribed  with  mystic 
characters.  This  tradition  is  said  to  be  the  legendary 
origin  of  the  Chinese  system  of  writing. 


363 


CHAPTER  XXX  :  THE  TRANSFORMA- 
TION  OF  ISSUNBOSHI,  AND  KINTARO, 
THE  GOLDEN  BOY 

A  Prayer  to  the  Empress  Jingo 

AN  old  married  couple  went  to  the  shrine  of  the 
deified  Empress  Jingo,1  and  prayed  that  they 
might  be  blessed  with  a  child,  even  if  it  were 
no   bigger   than    one   of  their  fingers.     A  voice  was 
heard  from  behind  the  bamboo  curtain  of  the  shrine, 
and  the  old  people  were  informed  that  their  wish  would 
be  granted. 

In  due  time  the  old  woman  gave  birth  to  a  child, 
and  when  she  and  her  husband  discovered  that  this 
miniature  piece  of  humanity  was  no  bigger  than  a  little 
finger,  they  became  extremely  angry,  and  thought  that 
the  Empress  Jingo  had  treated  them  very  meanly 
indeed,  though,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  she  had  fulfilled 
their  prayer  to  the  letter. 

"One-Inch  Priest " 

The  little  fellow  was  called  Issunboshi  ("One-Inch 
Priest"),  and  every  day  his  parents  expected  to  see  him 
suddenly  grow  up  as  other  boys  ;  but  at  thirteen  years 
of  age  he  still  remained  the  same  size  as  when  he  was 
born.  Gradually  his  parents  became  exasperated,  for 
it  wounded  their  vanity  to  hear  the  neighbours  describe 
their  son  as  Little  Finger,  or  Grain-of-Corn.  They 
were  so  much  annoyed  that  at  last  they  determined  to 
send  Issunboshi  away. 

The  little  fellow  did  not  complain.  He  requested 
his  mother  to  give  him  a  needle,  a  small  soup-bowl, 
and  a  chop-stick,  and  with  these  things  he  set  off 
on  his  adventures. 

*  Deifying  the  mighty  dead  is  one  of  the  teachings  of  Shintoism. 
364 


AN  ENCOUNTER  WITH  ONI 

Issunboshi  becomes  a  Page 

His  soup-bowl  served  as  a  boat,  which  he  propelled 
along  the  river  with  his  chop-stick.  In  this  fashion  he 
finally  reached  Kyoto.  Issunboshi  wandered  about 
this  city  until  he  saw  a  large  roofed  gate.  Without 
the  least  hesitation  he  walked  in,  and  having  reached 
the  porch  of  a  house,  he  cried  out  in  a  very  minute 
voice  :  "  I  beg  an  honourable  inquiry  !  " 

Prince  Sanjo  himself  heard  the  little  voice,  and  it 
was  some  time  before  he  could  discover  where  it  came 
from.  When  he  did  so  he  was  delighted  with  his 
discovery,  and  on  the  little  fellow  begging  that  he 
might  live  in  the  Prince's  house,  his  request  was 
readily  granted.  The  boy  became  a  great  favourite, 
and  was  at  once  made  the  Princess  Sanjo's  page.  In 
this  capacity  he  accompanied  his  mistress  everywhere, 
and  though  so  very  small,  he  fully  appreciated  the 
honour  and  dignity  of  his  position. 

An  Encounter  with  Oni 

One  day  the  Princess  Sanjo  and  her  page  went  to  the 
Temple  of  Kwannon,  the  Goddess  of  Mercy,  "  under 
whose  feet  are  dragons  of  the  elements  and  the  lotuses 
of  Purity."  As  they  were  leaving  the  temple  two 
oni  (evil  spirits)  sprang  upon  them.  Issunboshi  took 
out  his  needle-sword  from  its  hollow  straw,  and  loudly 
denouncing  the  oniy  he  flourished  his  small  weapon 
in  their  evil-looking  faces. 

One  of  the  creatures  laughed.  "  Why,"  said  he  scorn- 
fully, "  I  could  swallow  you,  as  a  cormorant  swallows  a 
trout,  and  what  is  more,  my  funny  little  bean-seed,  I 
will  do  so  ! " 

The  oni  opened  his  mouth,  and  Issunboshi  found  him- 
self slipping  down  a  huge  throat  until  he  finally  stood 

365 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

in  the  creature's  great  dark  stomach.  Issunboshi,  noth- 
ing daunted,  began  boring  away  with  his  needle-sword. 
This  made  the  evil  spirit  cry  out  and  give  a  great 
cough,  which  sent  the  little  fellow  into  the  sunny 
world  again. 

The  second  oni,  who  had  witnessed  his  companion's 
distress,  was  extremely  angry,  and  tried  to  swallow  the 
remarkable  little  page,  but  was  not  successful.  This 
time  Issunboshi  climbed  up  the  creature's  nostril,  and 
when  he  had  reached  the  end  of  what  seemed  to  him  to 
be  a  very  long  and  gloomy  tunnel,  he  began  piercing 
the  onis  eyes.  The  creature,  savage  with  pain,  ran  off 
as  fast  as  he  could,  followed  by  his  yelling  companion. 

Needless  to  say,  the  Princess  was  delighted'. with  her 
page's  bravery,  and  told  him  that  she  was  sure  her 
father  would  reward  him  when  he  was  told  about  the 
terrible  encounter. 

The  Magic  Mallet 

On  their  way  home  the  Princess  happened  to  pick 
up  a  small  wooden  mallet.  "  Oh  ! "  said  she,  "  this 
must  have  been  dropped  by  the  wicked  oni,  and  it  is 
none  other  than  a  lucky  mallet.  You  have  only  to 
wish  and  then  tap  it  upon  the  ground,  and  your  wish, 
no  matter  what,  is  always  granted.  My  brave  (Issun- 
boshi, tell  me  what  you  would  most  desire,  and  I  will 
tap  the  mallet  on  the  ground." 

After  a  pause  the  little  fellow  said  :  "  Honourable 
Princess,  I  should  like  to  be  as  big  as  other  people." 

The  Princess  tapped  the  mallet  on  the  ground,  calling 
aloud  the  wish  of  her  page.  In  a  moment  Issunboshi 
was  transformed  from  a  bijou  creature  to  a  lad  just 
like  other  youths  of  his  age. 

These  wonderful  happenings  excited  the  curiosity 
of  the  Emperor,  and  Issunboshi  was  summoned  to  his 
366 


KINTARO,  THE  GOLDEN  BOY 

presence.  The  Emperor  was  so  delighted  with  the 
youth  that  he  gave  him  many  gifts  and  made  him  a 
high  official.  Finally,  Issunboshi  became  a  great  lord 
and  married  Prince  Sanjo's  youngest  daughter. 

Kintaro,  the  Golden  Boy 

Sakata  Kurando  was  an  officer  of  the  Emperor's 
bodyguard,  and  though  he  was  a  brave  man,  well  versed 
in  the  art  of  war,  he  had  a  gentle  disposition,  and 
during  his  military  career  chanced  to  love  a  beautiful 
lady  named  Yaegiri.  Kurando  eventually  fell  into 
disgrace,  and  was  forced  to  leave  the  Court  and  to 
become  a  travelling  tobacco  merchant.  Yaegiri,  who 
was  much  distressed  by  her  lover's  flight,  succeeded 
in  escaping  from  her  home,  and  wandered  up  and 
down  the  country  in  the  hope  of  meeting  Kurando. 
At  length  she  found  him,  but  the  unfortunate  man,  who, 
no  doubt,  felt  deeply  his  disgrace  and  his  humble 
mode  of  living,  put  an  end  to  his  humiliation  by 
taking  his  miserable  life. 

Animal  Companions 

When  Yaegiri  had  buried  her  lover  she  went  to 
the  Ashigara  Mountain,  where  she  gave  birth  to  a 
child,  called  Kintaro,  or  the  Golden  Boy.  Now  Kintaro 
was  remarkable  for  his  extreme  strength.  When  only  a 
few  years  old  his  mother  gave  him  an  axe,  with  which 
he  felled  trees  as  quickly  and  easily  as  an  experienced 
woodcutter.  Ashigara  Mountain  was  a  lonely  and 
desolate  spot,  and  as  there  were  no  children  with 
whom  Kintaro  could  play,  he  made  companions  of 
the  bear,  deer,  hare,  and  monkey,  and  in  a  very  short 
time  was  able  to  speak  their  strange  language. 

One  day,  when  Kintaro  was  sitting  on  the  mountain, 
with  his  favourites  about  him,  he  sought  to  amuse 

367 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

himself  by  getting  his  companions  to  join  in  a  friendly 
wrestling  match.  A  kindly  old  bear  was  delighted  with 
the  proposal,  and  at  once  set  to  work  to  dig  up  the 
earth  and  arrange  it  in  the  form  of  a  small  da'fs.  When 
this  had  been  made  a  hare  and  a  monkey  wrestled 
together,  while  a  deer  stood  by  to  give  encouragement 
and  to  see  that  the  sport  was  conducted  fairly.  Both 
animals  proved  themselves  to  be  equally  strong, 
and  Kintaro  tactfully  rewarded  them  with  tempting 
rice-cakes. 

After  spending  a  pleasant  afternoon  in  this  way, 
Kintaro  proceeded  to  return  home,  followed  by  his 
devoted  friends.  At  length  they  came  to  a  river,  and 
the  animals  were  wondering  how  they  should  cross 
such  a  wide  stretch  of  water,  when  Kintaro  put  his 
strong  arms  round  a  tree  which  was  growing  on  the 
bank,  and  pulled  it  across  the  river  so  that  it  formed 
a  bridge.  Now  it  happened  that  the  famous  hero, 
Yorimitsu,  and  his  retainers  witnessed  this  extraordinary 
feat  of  strength,  and  said  to  Watanab6  Isuna :  "  This 
child  is  truly  remarkable.  Go  and  find  out  where  he 
lives  and  all  about  him." 

A  Famous  Warrior 

So  Watanabe"  Isuna  followed  Kintaro  and  entered 
the  house  where  he  lived  with  his  mother.  "  My 
master,"  said  he,  "  Lord  Yorimitsu,  bids  me  find  out 
who  your  wonderful  son  is."  When  Ya£giri  had 
narrated  the  story  of  her  life  and  informed  her  visitor 
that  her  little  one  was  the  son  of  Sakata  Kurando,  the 
retainer  departed  and  told  Yorimitsu  all  he  had  heard. 

Yorimitsu  was  so  pleased  with  what  Watanabe  Isuna 
told  him  that  he  went  himself  to  Ya£giri,  and  said  : 
"  If  you  will  give  me  your  child  I  will  make  him  my 
retainer."  The  woman  gladly  consented,  and  the 
368 


A  FAMOUS  WARRIOR 

Golden  Boy  went  away  with  the  great  hero,  who 
named  him  Sakata  Kintoki.  He  eventually  became  a 
famous  warrior,  and  the  stones  of  his  wonderful  deeds 
are  recited  to  this  day.  Children  regard  him  as  their 
favourite  hero,  and  little  boys,  who  would  fain  emulate 
the  strength  and  bravery  of  Sakata  Kintoki,  carry  his 
portrait  in  their  bosoms. 


2  A  369 


CHAPTER  XXXI :  MISCELLANEOUS 
LEGENDS 

Kato  Sayemon 

KATO  SAYEMON  lived  in  the  palace  of  the 
Shogun  Ashikaga,  where  he  had  his  separate 
apartments,  and  as  there  was  no  war  at  that 
time,  he  remained  contentedly  with  his  wife  and  con- 
cubines. Kato  Sayemon  was  a  man  who  loved  luxury 
and  ease,  and  he  regarded  domestic  peace  as  the  greatest 
of  all  earthly  blessings.  He  honestly  believed  that 
among  all  his  smiling,  courteous  women  there  was 
nothing  but  harmony,  and  this  thought  made  life  parti- 
cularly sweet  to  him. 

One  evening  Kato  Sayemon  went  into  the  palace 
garden  and  was  enchanted  by  the  ever-moving  cloud  of 
fireflies,  and  he  was  scarcely  less  pleased  with  the  gentle 
song  of  certain  insects.  "What  a  charming  scene," 
murmured  Sayemon,  cc  and  what  a  charming  world  we 
live  in  1  Bows  and  smiles  and  abject  humility  from  my 
women.  Oh,  it's  all  very  wonderful  and  very  delightful  ! 
I  would  have  life  always  so." 

Thus  voicing  his  thoughts  in  this  self-satisfied 
manner,  he  chanced  to  pass  his  wife's  room,  and  peeped 
in  with  a  loving  and  benevolent  eye.  He  observed  that 
his  wife  was  playing  go  with  one  of  his  concubines. 
"  Such  polite  decorum,"  murmured  Sayemon.  cc  Surely 
their  words  are  as  sweet  as  honey  and  as  soft  and  fair 
as  finely  spun  silk.  But  stay  !  What  strange  thing 
is  this  ?  The  hair  of  my  wife  and  the  hair  of  my 
concubine  have  turned  into  snakes  that  twist  and 
rear  their  heads  in  anger.  All  the  time  these  women 
smile  and  bow  and  move  their  pieces  with  well-ordered 
charm  and  grace.  Gentle  words  come  from  their 
lips,  but  the  snakes  of  their  hair  mock  them,  for 
370 


Kato  Sayemon  in  his  Palace  of  the  Shogun  Ashikaga.          370 


KATO  SAYEMON 

these  twisting  reptiles  tell  of  bitter  jealousy  in  their 
hearts." 

Sayemon's  beautiful  dream  of  domestic  happiness  was 
for  ever  shattered.  "I  will  go  forth/'  said  he,  "and 
become  a  Buddhist  priest.  I  will  leave  behind  the  hot 
malice  and  envy  of  my  wife  and  concubines,  and  in  the 
teaching  of  the  Blessed  One  I  shall  indeed  find  true 
peace." 

The  next  morning  Sayemon  left  the  palace  secretly, 
and  though  search  was  made  for  him,  he  could  not  be 
found.  About  a  week  later  Sayemon's  wife  reduced  the 
establishment  and  lived  quietly  with  her  little  son, 
Ishidomaro.  Two  years  went  by  and  still  there  came 
no  news  of  her  husband. 

At  length  Sayemon's  wife  and  child  went  in  search  of 
the  missing  man.  For  five  years  they  wandered  about 
the  country,  till  at  length  they  came  to  a  little  village  in 
Kishu,  where  an  old  man  informed  the  weary  and  travel- 
stained  wanderers  that  Sayemon  was  now  a  priest,  and 
that  a  year  ago  he  lived  in  the  temple  of  Kongobuji,  on 
Mount  Koya. 

The  next  day  the  woman  and  her  son  found  that  at 
the  temple  of  Kongobuji  no  women  were  permitted  to 
enter,  so  Ishidomaro,  after  carefully  listening  to  his 
mother's  instructions,  ascended  the  mountain  alone. 
When  the  boy,  after  a  long  and  arduous  climb,  reached 
the  temple,  he  saw  a  monk,  and  said  :  "  Does  a  priest 
called  Kato  Sayemon  live  here  ?  I  am  his  little  son,  and 
my  good  mother  awaits  me  in  yonder  valley.  Five 
years  we  have  sought  for  him,  and  the  love  that  is  in 
our  hearts  will  surely  find  him." 

The  priest,  who  was  none  other  than  Sayemon  him- 
self, thus  addressed  his  son  :  "  I  am  sorry  to  think  that 
your  journey  has  been  in  vain,  for  no  one  of  the  name  of 
Kato  Sayemon  lives  in  this  temple." 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Sayemon  spoke  with  outward  coldness,  but  within  his 
heart  there  was  a  struggle  between  his  religion  and  love 
for  his  son.  Knowing,  however,  that  he  had  left  his  wife 
and  child  well  provided  for,  he  yielded  to  the  teaching  of 
the  Lord  Buddha  and  crushed  out  his  parental  feelings. 

Ishidomaro,  however,  was  not  satisfied,  for  he  felt 
instinctively  that  the  man  before  him  was  in  reality  his 
father,  and  once  again  he  addressed  the  priest  :  "  Good 
sir,  on  my  left  eye  there  is  a  mole,  and  my  mother  told 
me  that  on  the  left  eye  of  my  father  there  is  a  similar 
mark,  by  which  I  might  at  once  recognise  him.  You 
have  the  very  mark,  and  in  my  heart  I  know  that  you 
are  my  father."  And  having  said  these  words  the  boy 
wept  bitterly,  longing  for  arms  that  never  came  to  caress 
and  soothe  the  unhappy  little  fellow. 

Sayemon's  feelings  were  again  stirred ;  but  with  a 
great  effort  to  conceal  his  emotion,  he  said  :  "  The  mark 
of  which  you  speak  is  very  common.  I  am  certainly 
not  your  father,  and  you  had  better  dry  your  eyes  and 
seek  him  elsewhere."  With  these  words  the  priest  left 
the  boy  in  order  to  attend  an  evening  service. 

Sayemon  continued  to  live  in  the  temple.  He  had 
found  peace  in  serving  the  Lord  Buddha,  and  he  cared 
not  what  became  of  his  wife  and  child. 

How  an  Old  Man  lost  his  "Wen 

There  was  once  an  old  man  who  had  a  wen  on  his 
right  cheek.  This  disfigurement  caused  him  a  good 
deal  of  annoyance,  and  he  had  spent  a  considerable  sum 
of  money  in  trying  to  get  rid  of  it.  He  took  various 
medicines  and  applied  many  lotions,  but  instead  of  the 
wen  disappearing  or  even  diminishing,  it  increased  in  size. 

One  night,  while  the  old  man  was  returning  home 
laden  with  firewood,  he  was  overtaken  by  a  terrible 
thunderstorm,  and  was  forced  to  seek  shelter  in  a  hollow 
372 


HOW  AN  OLD  MAN  LOST  HIS  WEN 

tree.  When  the  storm  had  abated,  and  just  as  he  was 
about  to  proceed  on  his  journey,  he  was  surprised  to 
hear  a  sound  of  merriment  close  at  hand.  On  peeping 
out  from  his  place  of  retreat,  he  was  amazed  to  see  a 
number  of  demons  dancing  and  singing  and  drinking. 
Their  dancing  was  so  strange  that  the  old  man,  forget- 
ting caution,  began  to  laugh,  and  eventually  left  the  tree 
in  order  that  he  might  see  the  performance  better.  As 
he  stood  watching,  he  saw  that  a  demon  was  dancing  by 
himself,  and,  moreover,  that  the  chief  of  the  company  was 
none  too  pleased  with  his  very  clumsy  antics.  At  length 
the  leader  of  the  demons  said  :  "  Enough  !  Is  there 
no  one  who  can  dance  better  than  this  fellow  ?  " 

When  the  old  man  heard  these  words,  it  seemed  that 
his  youth  returned  to  him  again,  and  having  at  one  time 
been  an  expert  dancer,  he  offered  to  show  his  skill.  So 
the  old  man  danced  before  that  strange  gathering  of 
demons,  who  congratulated  him  on  his  performance, 
offered  him  a  cup  ofsakd,  and  begged  that  he  would  give 
them  the  pleasure  of  several  other  dances. 

The  old  man  was  extremely  gratified  by  the  way  he 
had  been  received,  and  when  the  chief  of  the  demons 
asked  him  to  dance  before  them  on  the  following  night, 
he  readily  complied.  "That  is  well,"  said  the  chief, 
"  but  you  must  leave  some  pledge  behind  you.  I  see 
that  you  have  a  wen  on  your  right  cheek,  and  that  will 
make  an  excellent  pledge.  Allow  me  to  take  it  off  for 
you."  Without  inflicting  any  pain,  the  chief  removed 
the  wen,  and  having  accomplished  this  extraordinary  feat, 
he  and  his  companions  suddenly  vanished. 

The  old  man,  as  he  walked  towards  his  home,  kept  on 
feeling  his  right  cheek  with  his  hand,  and  could  scarcely 
realise  that  after  many  years  of  disfigurement  he  had  at 
last  the  good  fortune  to  lose  his  troublesome  and  un- 
sightly wen.  At  length  he  entered  his  humble  abode, 

373 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

and  his  old  wife  was  none  the  less  pleased  with  what 
had  taken  place. 

A  wicked  and  cantankerous  old  man  lived  next  door 
to  this  good  old  couple.  For  many  years  he  had  been 
afflicted  with  a  wen  on  his  left  cheek,  which  had  failed 
to  yield  to  all  manner  of  medical  treatment.  When  he 
heard  of  his  neighbour's  good  fortune,  he  called  upon 
him  and  listened  to  the  strange  adventures  with  the 
demons.  The  good  old  man  told  his  neighbour  where 
he  might  find  the  hollow  tree,  and  advised  him  to  hide 
in  it  just  before  sunset. 

The  wicked  old  man  found  the  hollow  tree  and  entered 
it.  He  had  not  remained  concealed  more  than  a  few 
minutes  when  he  rejoiced  to  see  the  demons.  Presently 
one  of  the  company  said  :  "  The  old  man  is  a  long  time 
coming.  I  made  sure  he  would  keep  his  promise." 

At  these  words  the  old  man  crept  out  of  his  hiding- 
place,  flourished  his  fan,  and  began  to  dance  ;  but, 
unfortunately,  he  knew  nothing  about  dancing,  and  his 
extraordinary  antics  caused  the  demons  to  express  con- 
siderable dissatisfaction.  "You  dance  extremely  ill," 
said  one  of  the  company,  "  and  the  sooner  you  stop  the 
better  we  shall  be  pleased  ;  but  before  you  depart  we 
will  return  the  pledge  you  left  with  us  last  night." 
Having  uttered  these  words,  the  demon  flung  the  wen 
at  the  right  cheek  of  the  old  man,  where  it  remained 
firmly  fixed,  and  could  not  be  removed.  So  the  wicked 
old  man^  who  had  tried  to  deceive  the  demons,  went 
away  with  a  wen  on  either  side  of  his  face. 

A  Japanese  Gulliver1 

Shikaiya  Wasobioye  was  a  man  of  Nagasaki,  and 
possessed  considerable  learning,  but  disliked  visitors. 

1  Adapted  from  Professor  B.  H.  Chamberlain's  translation  in  the 
Transactions  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Japan,  vol.  vii. 
374 


A  JAPANESE  GULLIVER 

On  the  eighth  day  of  the  eighth  month,  in  order  to 
escape  the  admirers  of  the  full  moon,  he  set  off  in  his 
boat,  and  had  proceeded  some  distance,  when  the  sky 
looked  threatening,  and  he  attempted  to  return,  but  the 
wind  tore  his  sail  and  broke  his  mast.  The  poor  man 
was  tossed  for  three  months  on  the  waves,  until  at  last 
he  came  to  the  Sea  of  Mud,  where  he  nearly  died  of 
hunger,  for  there  were  no  fishes  to  be  caught. 

At  length  he  reached  a  mountainous  island,  where 
the  air  was  sweet  with  the  fragrance  of  many  flowers, 
and  in  this  island  he  found  a  spring,  the  waters  of  which 
revived  him.  At  length  Wasobioye  met  Jofuku,  who 
led  him  through  the  streets  of  the  main  city,  where  all 
the  inhabitants  were  spending  their  time  in  pursuit  of 
pleasure.  There  was  no  death  or  disease  on  this  island  ; 
but  the  fact  that  here  life  was  eternal  was  regarded  by 
many  as  a  burden,  which  they  tried  to  shake  off  by  study- 
ing the  magic  art  of  death  and  the  power  of  poisonous 
food,  such  as  globe-fish  sprinkled  with  soot  and  the 
flesh  of  mermaids. 

When  twenty  years  had  passed  by  Wasobioye  grew 
weary  of  the  island,  and  as  he  had  failed  in  his  attempts 
to  take  his  life,  he  started  upon  a  journey  to  the  Three 
Thousand  Worlds  mentioned  in  Buddhist  Scriptures. 
He  then  visited  the  Land  of  Endless  Plenty,  the  Land 
of  Shams,  the  Land  of  the  Followers  of  the  Antique, 
the  Land  of  Paradoxes,  and,  finally,  the  Land  of  Giants. 

After  Wasobioye  had  spent  five  months  riding  on 
the  back  of  a  stork  through  total  darkness,  he  at  length 
reached  a  country  where  the  sun  shone  again,  where 
trees  were  hundreds  of  feet  in  girth,  where  weeds  were 
as  large  as  bamboos,  and  men  sixty  feet  in  height.  In 
this  strange  land  a  giant  picked  up  Wasobioye,  took 
him  to  his  house,  and  fed  him  from  a  single  grain  of 
monster  rice,  with  chopsticks  the  size  of  a  small  tree. 

375 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

For  a  few  weeks  Wasobioye  attempted  to  catechise  his 
host  in  regard  to  the  doctrines  of  the  old  world  whence 
he  came,  but  the  giant  laughed  at  him  and  told  him 
that  such  a  small  man  could  not  be  expected  to  under- 
stand the  ways  of  big  people,  for  their  intelligences  were 
in  like  proportion  to  their  size. 

The  Jewel-tears  of  Samebito 

One  day,  while  TotarO  was  crossing  the  Long  Bridge 
of  Seta,  he  saw  a  strange-looking  creature.  It  had  the 
body  of  a  man,  with  a  skin  blacker  than  that  of  a  negro  ; 
its  eyes  glowed  like  emeralds,  and  its  beard  was  like 
the  beard  of  a  dragon.  TotarO  was  not  a  little  startled 
at  seeing  such  an  extraordinary  being  ;  but  there  was 
so  much  pathos  in  its  green  eyes  that  TotarO  ventured 
to  ask  questions,  to  which  the  strange  fellow  replied : 

"  I  am  Samebito  ["  A  Shark-Person "],  and  quite 
recently  I  was  in  the  service  of  the  Eight  Great  Dragon 
Kings  as  a  subordinate  officer  in  the  Dragon  Palace.  I 
was  dismissed  from  this  glorious  dwelling  for  a  very 
slight  fault,  and  I  was  even  banished  from  the  sea. 
Ever  since  I  have  been  extremely  miserable,  without  a 
place  of  shelter,  and  unable  to  get  food.  Pity  me,  good 
sir  !  Find  me  shelter,  and  give  me  something  to  eat !  " 

Totaro's  heart  was  touched  by  Samebito's  humility, 
and  he  took  him  to  a  pond  in  his  garden  and  there  gave 
him  a  liberal  supply  of  food.  In  this  quiet  and  secluded 
spot  this  strange  creature  of  the  sea  remained  for  nearly 
half  a  year. 

Now  in  the  summer  of  that  year  there  was  a  great 
female  pilgrimage  to  the  temple  called  Miidera,  situated 
in  the  neighbouring  town  of  Otsu.  TotarO  attended 
the  festival,  and  there  saw  an  extremely  charming  girl. 
"  Her  face  was  fair  and  pure  as  snow  ;  and  the  loveliness 
of  her  lips  assured  the  beholder  that  their  very  utterance 
376 


Totaro  and  Samebito. 


376 


THE  JEWEL-TEARS  OF  SAMEBITO 

would  sound  c  as  sweet  as  the  voice  of  a  nightingale 
singing  upon  a  plum-tree/  ' 

TotarO  at  once  fell  in  love  with  this  maiden.  He 
discovered  that  her  name  was  Tamana,  that  she  was 
unmarried,  and  would  remain  so  unless  a  young  man 
could  present  her  with  a  betrothal  gift  of  a  casket  con- 
taining no  fewer  than  ten  thousand  jewels. 

When  TotarO  learnt  that  this  fair  girl  was  only  to  be 
won  by  what  seemed  to  him  an  impossible  gift,  he 
returned  home  with  a  heavy  heart.  The  more  he 
thought  about  the  beautiful  Tamana,  the  more  he  fell 
in  love  with  her.  But  alas  !  no  one  less  wealthy  than 
a  prince  could  make  such  a  betrothal  gift — ten  thousand 
jewels  ! 

TotarO  worried  himself  into  an  illness,  and  when  a 
physician  came  to  see  him,  he  shook  his  head,  and  said  : 
"  I  can  do  nothing  for  you,  for  no  medicine  will  cure  the 
sickness  of  love."  And  with  these  words  he  left  him. 

Now  Samebito  gained  tidings  of  the  sickness  of  his 
master,  and  when  the  sad  news  reached  him,  he  left  the 
garden  pond  and  entered  Totaro's  chamber: 

TotarO  did  not  speak  about  his  own  troubles.  He 
was  full  of  concern  for  the  welfare  of  this  creature  of 
the  sea.  "  Who  will  feed  you,  Samebito,  when  I  am 
gone  ?  "  said  he  mournfully. 

When  Samebito  saw  that  his  good  master  was  dying, 
he  uttered  a  strange  cry,  and  began  to  weep.  He  wept 
great  tears  of  blood,  but  when  they  touched  the  floor 
they  suddenly  turned  into  glowing  rubies. 

When  TotarO  saw  these  jewel-tears  he  shouted  for 
joy,  and  new  life  came  back  to  him  from  that  hour.  "  I 
shall  live !  I  shall  live  !  "  he  cried  with  great  delight. 
"  My  good  friend,  you  have  more  than  repaid  me  for 
the  food  and  shelter  I  have  given  you.  Your  wonderful 
tears  have  brought  me  untold  happiness." 

377 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Then  Sam£bito  stopped  weeping,  and  asked  his 
master  to  be  so  good  as  to  explain  the  nature  of  his 
speedy  recovery. 

So  TotarO  told  the  Shark-Man  of  his  love-affair  and 
of  the  marriage-gift  demanded  by  the  family  of 
Tamana.  "  I  thought,"  added  TotarO,  "  that  I  should 
never  be  able  to  get  ten  thousand  jewels,  and  it  was 
that  thought  that  brought  me  so  near  to  death.  Now 
your  tears  have  turned  into  jewels,  and  with  these  the 
maid  will  become  my  wife." 

TotarO  proceeded  to  count  the  jewels  with  great 
eagerness.  "  Not  enough  !  Not  enough !  "  he  ex- 
claimed with  considerable  disappointment.  "  Oh, 
Sam£bito,  be  so  good  as  to  weep  a  little  more  !  " 

These  words  made  Samebito  angry.  "  Do  you 
think,"  said  he,  "  I  can  weep  at  will  like  women  ?  My 
tears  come  from  the  heart,  the  outward  sign  of  true 
and  deep  sorrow.  I  can  weep  no  longer,  for  you  are 
well  again.  Surely  the  time  has  come  for  laughter  and 
merrymaking,  and  not  for  tears." 

"  Unless  I  get  ten  thousand  jewels,  I  cannot  marry 
the  fair  Tamana,"  said  TotarO.  "What  am  I  to  do  ? 
Oh,  good  friend,  weep,  weep  !  " 

Samebito  was  a  kindly  creature.  After  a  pause,  he 
said  :  "  I  can  shed  no  more  tears  to-day.  Let  us  go 
to-morrow  to  the  Long  Bridge  of  S6ta,  and  take  with 
us  a  good  supply  of  wine  and  fish.  It  may  be  that  as 
I  sit  on  the  bridge  and  gaze  toward  the  Dragon  Palace, 
I  shall  weep  again,  thinking  of  my  lost  home,  and 
longing  to  return  once  more." 

On  the  morrow  they  went  to  the  S6ta  Bridge,  and 
after  Samebito  had  taken  a  good  deal  of  wine,  he  gazed 
in  the  direction  of  the  Dragon  Kingdom.  As  he  did 
so  his  eyes  filled  with  tears,  red  tears  that  turned  into 
rubies  as  soon  as  they  touched  the  bridge.  TotarO, 
378 


THE  JEWEL-TEARS  OF  SAMEBITO 

without  very  much  concern  for  his  friend's  sorrow, 
picked  up  the  jewels,  and  found  at  last  that  he  had  ten 
thousand  lustrous  rubies. 

Just  at  that  moment  they  heard  a  sound  of  sweet 
music,  and  from  the  water  there  rose  a  cloud-like  palace, 
with  all  the  colours  of  the  setting  sun  shining  upon  it. 
Sam£bito  gave  a  shout  of  joy  and  sprang  upon  the 
parapet  of  the  bridge,  saying  :  "  Farewell,  my  master  ! 
The  Dragon  Kings  are  calling  !  "  With  these  words 
he  leaped  from  the  bridge  and  returned  to  his  old 
home  again. 

TotarO  lost  no  time  in  presenting  the  casket  contain- 
ing ten  thousand  jewels  to  Tamana's  parents,  and  in 
due  season  he  married  their  lovely  daughter. 


379 


A  NOTE  ON  JAPANESE  POETRY 

f  |    ^HERE  is  a  subtle  charm  about  Japanese  poetry 

1  peculiarly  its  own.  I  recall  with  pleasure  the 
unforgettable  hours  I  spent  in  reading  Mr. 
Yone  Noguchi's  The  Pilgrimage.  I  was  compelled, 
through  sheer  delight,  to  read  the  two  volumes  at  a 
sitting.  It  is  true  that  Mr.  Noguchi  is  very  much 
under  the  influence  of  Walt  Whitman,  and  it  has  left 
its  impress  upon  his  work  ;  but  that  only  tends  to 
heighten  the  effect  of  the  purely  Japanese  element. 
A  brief,  haunting  phrase  of  Mr.  Noguchi  has  far  more 
charm  than  an  imitation  of  his  American  master's 
torrential  manner.  Japan  has  no  need  to  imitate  as 
far  as  her  poetry  is  concerned.  In  the  old  days  one  of 
the  characteristics  of  that  country's  poetry  was  its 
almost  entire  freedom  from  outside  influences,  not 
even  excepting  that  of  China,  from  whom,  in  other 
directions,  she  borrowed  so  much.  I  have  mentioned 
Mr.  Yone  Noguchi  because  his  work  forms  an  excel- 
lent starting-point  for  the  study  of  Japanese  poetry. 
This  charming  poet,  writing  in  English,  has  given  us 
for  the  first  time  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  very 
spirit  of  Japanese  poetry.  When  a  book  is  written  on 
comparative  poetry,  that  of  Japan  will  take  a  very  high 
place. 

It  is  far  easier  to  describe  what  Japanese  poetry  is 
not  than  what  it  actually  is.  To  begin  with,  there  are 
no  Japanese  epics,  such  as  the  Iliad  and  Odyssey,  the 
Kalevala,  and  the  Mahabharata,  and  their  phrase  naga- 
uta  ("  long  poetry  ")  is  to  us  a  misnomer,  for  they  have 
no  really  long  poems.  Philosophy,  religion,  satire  are 
not  themes  for  the  Japanese  poet ;  he  even  goes  so  far 
as  to  consider  war  no  fit  subject  for  a  song. 
380 


THE  TANKA  AND  HOKKU 

The  Tanka  and  Hokku 

Where,  then,  are  the  charm  and  wonder  of  Japan's 
Pegasus  ?  The  real  genius  is  to  be  found  in  the  tanka  ^ 
a  poem  of  five  lines  or  phrases  and  thirty-one  syllables. 
In  many  ways  the  tanka  shows  far  more  limitation  than 
an  English  sonnet,  and  our  verbose  poets  would  do 
well  to  practise  a  form  that  engenders  suppression  and 
delicately  gives  suggestion  the  supreme  place.  It  is 
surprising  what  music  and  sentiment  are  expressed 
within  these  limits.  The  tanka  is  certainly  brief  in 
form,  but  it  frequently  suggests,  with  haunting  insist- 
ency, that  the  fragment  really  has  no  end,  when 
imagination  seizes  it  and  turns  it  into  a  thousand 
thousand  lines.  The  tanka  belongs  as  much  to  Japan 
as  Mount  Fuji  itself.  One  cannot  regard  it  without 
thinking  that  a  Japanese  poet  must  essentially  have  all 
the  finer  instincts  of  an  artist.  In  him  the  two  arts 
seem  inseparable.  He  must  convey  in  five  lines,  in 
the  most  felicitous  language  at  his  disposal,  the  idea  he 
wishes  to  express.  That  he  does  so  with  extraordinary 
success  is  beyond  dispute.  These  brief  poems  are 
wonderfully  characteristic  of  the  Japanese  people,  for 
they  have  such  a  love  for  little  things.  The  same  love 
that  delights  in  carving  a  netsukey  the  small  button 
on  a  Japanese  tobacco-pouch,  or  the  fashioning  of  a 
miniature  garden  in  a  space  no  bigger  than  a  soup-plate 
is  part  of  the  same  subtle  genius. 

There  is  an  even  more  Lilliputian  form  of  verse.  It 
is  called  the  hokku^  and  contains  only  seventeen 
syllables,  such  as  :  "  What  I  saw  as  a  fallen  blossom 
returning  to  the  branch,  lo !  it  was  a  butterfly." 
Butterflies  were  no  mere  flying  insects  in  Old  Japan. 
The  sight  of  such  a  brightly  coloured  creature  heralded 
the  approach  of  some  dear  friend.  On  one  occasion 

381 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

great  clouds  of  butterflies  were  thought  to  be  the  souls 
of  an  army. 

The  Hyaku'nin*isshiu 

Those  who  are  familiar  with  the  Hyaku-nin-isshiu 1 
("Single  Verses  by  a  Hundred  People"),  written 
before  the  time  of  the  Norman  Conquest,  will  recognise 
that  much  of  the  old  Japanese  poetry  depended  on 
the  dexterous  punning  and  the  use  of  "  pivot ' '  and 
"pillow  "  words.  The  art  was  practised,  not  with  the 
idea  of  provoking  laughter,  which  was  the  aim  of 
Thomas  Hood,  but  rather  with  the  idea  of  winning 
quiet  admiration  for  a  clever  and  subtle  verbal  ornament. 
No  translation  can  do  full  justice  to  this  phase  of  Japanese 
poetry ;  but  the  following  tankay  by  Yasuhide  Bunya, 
may  perhaps  give  some  idea  of  their  word-play  : 

"  The  mountain  wind  in  autumn  time 
Is  well  called  '  hurricane '  ; 
It  hurries  canes  and  twigs  along, 
And  whirls  them  o'er  the  plain 
To  scatter  them  again." 

The  cleverness  of  this  verse  lies  in  the  fact  that 
yama  kaze  ("  mountain  wind ")  is  written  with  two 
characters.  When  these  characters  are  combined  they 
form  the  word  arashi  ("  hurricane  ").  Clever  as  these 
"  pillow  "  and  "  pivot "  words  were,  they  were  used 
but  sparingly  by  the  poets  of  the  classical  period,  to  be 
revived  again  in  a  later  age  when  their  extravagant  use 
is  to  be  condemned  as  a  verbal  display  that  quite 
overshadowed  the  spirit  of  the  poetry  itself. 

Love  Poems 

There  are  Japanese  love  poems,  but  they  are  very 
different  from  those  with  which  we  are  familiar.  The 

1  See  translation  by  William  N.  Porter. 
382 


LOVE  POEMS 

tiresome  habit  of  enumerating  a  woman's  charms,  either 
briefly  or  at  length,  is  happily  an  impossibility  in  the 
tanka.  There  is  nothing  approaching  the  sensuousness 
of  a  Swinburne  or  a  D.  G.  Rossetti  in  Japanese  poetry, 
but  the  sentiments  are  gentle  and  pleasing  nevertheless. 
No  doubt  there  were  love-lorn  poets  in  Japan,  as  in 
every  other  country,  poets  who  possibly  felt  quite  pas- 
sionately on  the  subject ;  but  in  their  poetry  the  fire 
is  ghostly  rather  than  human,  always  polite  and  delicate. 
What  could  be  more  naive  and  dainty  than  the  following 
song  from  the  "  Flower  Dance  "  of  Bingo  province  ? 

"  If  you  want  to  meet  me,  love, 
Only  we  twain, 
Come  to  the  gate,  love, 
Sunshine  or  rain ; 
And  if  people  pry 
Say  that  you  came,  love, 
To  watch  who  went  by. 

"  If  you  want  to  meet  me,  love, 
Only  you  and  I, 
Come  to  the  pine-tree,  love, 
Clouds  or  clear  sky  ; 
Stand  among  the  spikelets,  love, 
And  if  folks  ask  why, 
Say  that  you  came,  love, 
To  catch  a  butterfly." 

Or  again,  the  following  tanka  by  the  eleventh- 
century  official,  Michimasa  : 

"  If  we  could  meet  in  privacy, 
Where  no  one  else  could  see, 
Softly  I'd  whisper  in  thy  ear 
This  little  word  from  me — 
I'm  dying,  Love,  for  thee." 

There  is  a  good  deal  more  ingenuity  in  this  poem 
than  would  appear  on  the  surface.  It  was  addressed 
to  the  Princess  Masako,  and  though  omoi-taenamu  may 

383 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

be  correctly  translated,  "  I'm  dying,  Love,  for  thee,"  it 
may  also  mean,  "  I  shall  forget  about  you."  The  poem 
was  purposely  written  with  a  double  meaning,  in  case  it 
miscarried  and  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  palace  guards. 

Nature  Poems 

Charming  as  are  many  of  the  Japaneses  love  poems, 
they  are  not  so  pleasing  or  so  distinguished  as  those 
describing  some  mood,  some  scene  from  Nature,  for 
the  Japanese  poets  are  essentially  Nature  poets.  Our 
National  Anthem  is  very  far  from  being  poetry.  Here 
is  Japan's,  literally  rendered  into  English  :  "  May  our 
Lord's  Empire  live  through  a  thousand  ages,  till  tiny 
pebbles  grow  into  giant  boulders  covered  with  emerald 
mosses."  It  is  based  on  an  ancient  song  mentioned  in 
the  KokinshiUy  and,  like  all  ancient  songs  in  praise  of 
kingship,  expresses  a  desire  for  an  Emperor  whose  very 
descent  from  the  Sun  shall  baffle  Death,  one  who  shall 
live  and  rule  past  mortal  reckoning.  There  is  a 
symbolic  meaning  attached  to  Japanese  rocks  and 
stones,  closely  associated  with  Buddhism.  They 
represent  something  more  than  mere  stolidity  ;  they 
represent  prayers.  It  is  the  Nature  poems  of  Japan 
that  are  supremely  beautiful,  those  describing  plum-  and 
cherry-blossom,  moonlight  on  a  river,  the  flight  of  a 
heron,  the  murmuring  song  of  a  blue  pine,  or  the 
white  foam  of  a  wave.  The  best  of  these  poems  are 
touched  with  pathos.  Here  is  one  by  Is6  : 

"  Cold  as  the  wind  of  early  Spring, 
Chilling  the  buds  that  still  lie  sheathed 
In  their  brown  armour  with  its  sting, 
And  the  bare  branches  withering—- 
So seems  the  human  heart  to  me ! 
Cold  as  the  March  wind's  bitterness ; 
I  am  alone,  none  comes  to  see 
Or  cheer  me  in  these  days  of  stress," 
384 


CHOMEI 

Chomei 

I  often  think  of  that  twelfth-century  Japanese  re- 
cluse Chomei.  He  lived  in  a  little  mountain  hut  far 
away  from  City  Royal,  and  there  he  read  and  played 
upon  the  biwa,  went  for  walks  in  the  vicinity,  picking 
flowers  and  fruit  and  branches  of  maple-leaves,  which 
he  set  before  the  Lord  Buddha  as  thankofferings. 
Chomei  was  a  true  lover  of  Nature,  for  he  understood 
all  her  many  moods.  In  the  spring  he  gazed  upon  "  the 
festoons  of  the  wistaria,  fine  to  see  as  purple  clouds." 
In  the  west  wind  he  heard  the  song  of  birds,  and  when 
autumn  came  he  saw  the  gold  colouring  of  the  trees, 
while  the  piling  and  vanishing  of  snow  caused  him  to 
think  of  "  the  ever  waxing  and  waning  volume  of  the 
world's  sinfulness."  He  wrote  in  his  charming  Hv-JG-ki, 
the  most  tender  and  haunting  autobiography  in  the 
Japanese  language  :  "  All  the  joy  of  my  existence  is 
concentrated  around  the  pillow  which  giveth  me 
nightly  rest ;  all  the  hope  of  my  days  I  find  in  the 
beauties  of  Nature  that  ever  please  my  eyes."  He 
loved  Nature  so  well  that  he  would  fain  have  taken  all 
the  colour  and  perfume  of  her  flowers  through  death 
into  the  life  beyond.  That  is  what  he  meant  when 
he  wrote  : 

"  Alas !  the  moonlight 
Behind  the  hill  is  hidden 
In  gloom  and  darkness ! 
Oh,  would  her  radiance  ever 
My  longing  eyes  rejoiced  !  " 

Here  is  a  touching  hokku,  written  by  Chiyo,  after  the 
death  of  her  little  son  : 

"  How  far,  I  wonder,  did  he  stray, 
Chasing  the  burnished  dragon-fly  to-day  ?  " 

2B  385 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

The  souls  of  Japanese  children  are  often  pictured  as 
playing  in  a  celestial  garden  with  the  same  flowers  and 
butterflies  they  used  to  play  with  while  on  earth.  It  is 
just  this  subtle  element  of  the  childlike  disposition  in 
Japanese  people  that  has  helped  them  to  discover  the 
secrets  or  flowers,  and  birds,  and  trees,  has  enabled 
them  to  catch  their  timorous,  fleeting  shadows,  and  to 
hold  them,  as  if  by  magic,  in  a  picture,  on  a  vase,  or  in 
a  delicate  and  wistful  poem. 

"The  Ah-ness  of  Things  * 

There  is  a  Japanese  phrase,  mono  no  aware  wo  shiru 
("  the  Ah-ness  of  things "),  which  seems  to  describe 
most  accurately  the  whole  significance  of  Japanese 
poetry.  There  is  a  plaintive  and  intimate  union 
between  the  poet  and  the  scene  from  Nature  he  is 
writing  about.  Over  and  over  again  he  suggests  that 
Spring,  with  all  her  wealth  of  cherry-  and  plum- 
blossom,  will  continue  to  grace  his  country  long  after 
he  has  departed.  Nearly  all  Japan's  people,  from  the 
peasant  to  the  Mikado  himself,  are  poets.  They  write 
poetry  because  they  live  poetry  every  day  of  their 
lives — that  is  to  say,  before  Japan  dreamed  of  wearing 
a  bowler  hat  and  frock-coat,  or  became  a  wholesale 
buyer  of  everything  Western.  They  live  poetry, 
always  that  poetry  steeped  in  an  intimate  communion 
with  Nature.  And  when  in  July  the  Festival  of  the 
Dead  takes  place,  there  comes  a  great  company  of  poet 
souls  to  see  Nippon's  blossom  again,  to  wander  down 
old  familiar  gardens,  through  red  torii,  or  to  lean  upon 
a  stone  lantern,  and  drink  in  the  glory  of  a  summer 
day,  which  is  sweeter  to  them  than  life  beyond  the 
grave. 


386 


GODS  AND  GODDESSES 


MYO-O. 

AjI-SHI-KI. 

AMA-NO-HO. 


AMA-TERASU. 
AME-WAKA. 

AMIDA. 


ANAN. 


BENTEN. 

BlMBOGAMI, 
BlNZURU. 


BlSHAMON. 
BOSATSU. 

BUDDHA. 
DAIKOKU. 
DAINICHI  NYORAI, 

DAISHI. 

DARUMA. 

DOSOJIN. 
EBISU. 


EKIBIOGAMI. 


The  God  of  Love. 

A  Shinto  God  who  was  mistaken  for 

his  deceased  friend  Ame-waka. 
The  first  of  the  Divine  Messengers  sent 

to  prepare  the  way  for  the  coming 

of  Ninigi. 
The  Sun  Goddess. 
"  Heaven-young-Prince,"  and  one  of 

the  Divine  Messengers. 
A  Buddhist  deity,  originally  an  abstrac- 
tion, the  ideal    of  boundless  light. 

The  Dalbutm  at  Kamakura  represents 

this  God. 
A  cousin  of  Buddha,  and,  like  Bishamon, 

gifted  with  great  knowledge  and  a 

wonderful  memory. 
One  of  the  Seven  Deities  of  Luck. 
The  God  of  Poverty. 
A  disciple  of  Buddha,  and  worshipped 

by  the  lower  classes  on  account  of 

his   miraculous   power    to   cure   all 

human  ailments. 

The  God  of  Wealth  and  also  of  War. 
A  term  applied  to  Buddhist  saints. 
See  Shaka. 

The  God  of  Wealth. 
A  personification  of  purity  and  wisdom. 

One  of  the  Buddhist  Trinity. 
"  Great  Teacher,"  a  term  applied  to 

many  Buddhist  saints. 
A  follower  of  Buddha. 
The  God  of  Roads. 
A  God  of  Luck  and  of  Daily  Food. 

He  is  the  patron  of  honest  labour, 

and  is   represented   as   a   fisherman 

carrying  in  his  hand  a  taj-fish. 

The  God  of  Pestilence. 

387 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

The  Lord  of  Hell  and  Judge  of  the 
Dead. 

A  deified  Chinese  priest. 

The  God  of  Wisdom. 

The  divine  patron  of  those  who 
practise  a  special  kind  of  ecstatic 
meditation.  He  is  usually  depicted 
as  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  Shaka. 

A  God  of  Luck,  and  typifies  longevity 
and  wisdom. 

Evil  Gods. 

The  Five  Buddhas  of  Contemplation, 
viz. :  Yakushi,  Taho,  Dainichi,  Ashuku, 
and  Shaka. 

A  generic  name  for  the  Shinto  incarna- 
tions of  Buddhas.  It  is  also  applied 
to  deified  heroes. 

A  Buddhist  moon-deity. 

The  God  oflWar.  He  is  the  deified 
Emperor  Ojin,  patron  of  the  Mina- 
moto  clan. 

"  Fire  Shine,"  and  son  of  Ninigl. 

"  Fire  Fade,"  and  son  of  Ninigi. 

The  God  of  Smallpox. 

A  God  of  Luck  who  typifies  content- 
ment. 

The  name  of  all  Buddhas,  and  frequently 
applied  to  the  dead  generally. 

A  protector  of  Buddhism. 

"Princess  Long-as-the-Rocks,"  eldest 
daughter  of  the  Spirit  of  Moun- 
tains. 

The  Goddess  of  Rice,  and  also  asso- 
ciated with  the  Fox  God. 

The  Spirit  of  the  Seashore. 

The  Creator  and  Creatress  of  Japan, 
and  from  them  the  deities  of  the 
Shinto  pantheon  are  descended. 

The  God  of  Children. 


EMMA-O. 
Fu  DAISHI 

J?  UDOt 
FUGEN. 

FUKUROKUJU. 

GAKI. 

GO-CHI  NYORAI. 

GONGEN. 

GWAKK6  BOSATSU. 
HACHIMAN. 

HODERI. 

HOORI. 

HOSO-NO-KAMI. 

HOTEL 

HOTOKE. 

IDA  TEN. 
IHA-NAGA. 

INARI. 

ISORA. 

IZANAGI  and  IZANAMI 


JlZ5 
388 


GODS 


JuROjIN. 

KAMI. 

KASHO. 

KAZE-NO-KAMI. 

KENGYU. 

KEN-RO-JI-JIN. 
KISHI  BOJIN. 

KOBO  DAISHI. 

KoDOMO-NO-lNARI. 

KOJIN. 

KOK.UZO  BOSATSU. 

KoMPIRA. 


KOSHIN. 
KUNI-TOKO-TACHI. 

KWANNON. 


MARISHITEN. 


MAYA  BUNIN. 


AND  GODDESSES 

A  God  of  Luck. 

A  general  name  for  all  Shinto  deities. 
One  of  the  greatest  disciples  of  Buddha. 
The  God  of  Wind  and  Bad  Colds. 
The  Herdsman  lover  of  the  Weaving 

Maiden. 

The  Earth  God. 
An    Indian    Goddess,  worshipped    by 

the  Japanese   as   the   protectress  of 

children. 

A  deified  Buddhist  sage. 
The  children's  Fox  God. 
The  God  of  the  Kitchen.     Worn-out 

dolls  are  offered  to  this  deity. 
A  female  Buddhist  saint. 
A  Buddhist  deity   of  obscure    origin, 

identified    with  Susa-no-o  and  other 

Shinto  Gods. 
The  God  of  Roads.     A  deification  of 

the  day  of  the  Monkey,  represented 

by  the  Three  Mystic  Apes. 

"The  Earthly  Eternally  Standing 
One."  A  self-created  Shinto  God. 

The  Goddess  of  Mercy,  represented  in 
various  forms : 

1 .  Sho-Kwannon  (Kwannon  the  Wise). 

2.  Ju-ichl-men Kwannon  (Eleven-Faced). 

3.  Sen-ju  Kwannon  (Thousand- 

Handed). 

4.  Ba-to-Kwannon  (Horse-Headed). 

5.  Nyo-i-rin  Kwannon  (Omnipotent). 

In  Japanese  and  Chinese  Buddhism  she 
is  represented  as  the  Queen  of 
Heaven.  She  has  eight  arms,  two 
of  which  hold  the  symbols  of  the 
sun  and  moon.  In  Brahminical 
theology  she  is  the  personification 
of  Light,  and  also  a  name  of  Krishna. 

The  mother  of  Buddha. 

38 


MYTHS  AND 

MlROKU. 
MlWA-DAIMYO-JIN. 

MONJU  BOSATU. 
•*  MUSUBI-NO-KAMI. 

NlKKO  BoSATSU. 
NlNIGI. 

Ni-o. 

NOMINOSUKUNE. 
NYORAI, 

O-ANA-MOCHI. 

OHO-YAMA.     _ 

ONAMUJI  or  OKUNI-NUSHI. 

ONI. 

OTOHIME. 
RAIDEN. 
RAITARO. 
RAKAN. 


ROKU-BU-TEN. 


RlN-JlN. 

SARUTA-HIKO. 

SENGEN. 


SHAKA  MUNI. 


390 


LEGENDS    OF  JAPAN 

Buddha's  successor,  and  known  as  the 

Buddhist  Messiah. 
The  deity  associated  with  the  Laughing 

Festival  of  Wasa. 
The  Lord  of  Wisdom. 
The  God  of  Marriage. 
A  Buddhist  solar  deity. 
The  grandson  of  Amer-terasu,  the  Sun 

Goddess. 
Two   gigantic    and  fierce    kings   who 

guard  the  outer  gates  of  temples. 
Patron  deity  of  wrestlers. 

An    honorific     title    applied     to    all 

Buddhas. 
"  Possessor   of  the   Great   Hole "   of 

Mount  Fuji. 

The  Spirit  of  the  Mountains. 
Son  of  Susa-no-o.     He  ruled  in  Izumo, 

but  retired  in  favour  of  Ninigi. 
A  general  name  for  evil  spirits. 
The  daughter  of  the  Dragon  King. 
The  God  of  Thunder. 
The  son  of  the  Thunder  God. 
A  name  used  to  designate  the  perfected 

saint  and  also    the  immediate   dis- 
ciples of  Buddha. 
A  collective   name   for   the    Buddhist 

Gods  Bonten,  Tauhaku^  and  the  Shi- 

TtnnS. 

The  Dragon,  or  Sea,  King. 
A  terrestrial  deity  who  greeted  Ninigi. 
The  Goddess  of  Mount  Fuji.     She  is 

also  known  as  Asama  or  Ko-no-Hana- 

Saku-ya-Hims,  "The   Princess  who 

makes  the  Flowers  of  the  Trees  to 

Blossom." 
The  founder  of  Buddhism,  also  called 

Gautama,  but  most  generally  known 

as  the  Buddha. 


GODS 


SHARIHOTSU. 
SHICHI  FUKUJIN. 

SHITA-TERU-HIME. 
SHI-TENNO. 


SHODEN. 

SoHODO-NO-KAMI. 
SuKUNA-BlKONA. 

SUSA-NO-O. 

TAISHAKU. 

TANABATA  or  SHOKUJO« 

TEN. 

TENJIN. 

TENNIN. 

TOSHOGU. 

TOYOKVNI. 

TOYO-TAMA. 

ToYOUKE-BIME. 

TSUKI-YUMI. 

UZUME. 

YAKUSHI  NYORAI. 

YOFUN^-NUSHI. 

YUKI-ONNA. 


AND  GODDESSES 

The  wisest  of  Buddha's  ten  chief  dis- 
ciples. 

The  Seven  Gods  of  Luck,  viz. :  Ebisu, 
Daikoku,  Benten,  Fukurokuju,  Bishamon, 
Jurojin,  and  Hotel. 

"  Lower-shine-Princess,"  and  wife  of 
Ame-waka* 

The  Four  Heavenly  Kings  who  protect 
the  earth  from  demons,  each  defend- 
ing one  quarter  of  the  horizon.  Their 
names  are  Jikoku,  East ;  Komoku, 
South ;  Zdcfo,  West ;  and  Tamon, 
also  called  Bishamon,  North.  Their 
images  are  placed  at  the  inner  gate 
of  the  temple. 

The  Indian  Ganesa,  God  of  Wisdom. 

The  God  of  Scarecrows. 

A  deity  sent  from  Heaven  to  assist 
Onamu/i  in  pacifying  his  realm. 

"The  Impetuous  Male,"  brother  of 
the  Sun  Goddess. 

The  Brahminical  God  Indra. 

The  Weaving  Maiden. 

A  title  equivalent  to  the  Sanskrit  Dtva. 

The  God  of  Calligraphy. 

Female  Buddhist  Angels. 

The  deified  name  of  the  great  ShOgun 
leyasu  or  Gongen  Sama. 

The  deified  name  of  Hideyoshi. 

The  Dragon  King's  daughter. 

The  ShintQ  Goddess  of  Earth  or  Food. 

The  Moon  God. 

The  Goddess  of  Dancing. 

«  The  Healing  Buddha." 

The  Serpent  God. 

The  Lady  of  the  Snow. 


39 1 


GENEALOGY  OF  THE  AGE  OF 
THE  GODS 

The   Heavenly  parent,  Ame  yudzuru    hi   ame   no   sa-giri    kuni 
yudzuru  tsuki  kuni  no  sa-giri  Mikoto. 

FIRST  GENERATION. 

Companion-born  heavenly  Gods. 

Ame  no  mi-naka-nushi  no  Mikoto. 
Heaven  middle  master. 

Umashi-ashi-kabi  hikoji  no  Mikoto. 
Sweet  reed-shoot  prince  elder. 

SECOND  GENERATION. 

Companion-born  heavenly  Gods. 

Kuni  no  toko  tachi  no  Mikoto. 
Land  eternal  stand. 

Toyo-kuni-nushi  no  Mikoto. 
Rich  land  master. 

A  BRANCH. 

Ame-ya-kudari  no  Mikoto. 
Heaven  eight  descend. 

THIRD  GENERATION. 

Heavenly  Gods  born  as  mates. 

Tsuno-gui  no  Mikoto. 
Horn  stake. 

Iku-gui  no  Mikoto,  his  younger  sister  or  wife. 
Live  stake. 

A  BRANCH. 

Ame  mi  kudari  no  Mikoto. 
Heaven  three  descend. 

393 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

FOURTH  GENERATION. 
Heavenly  Gods  born  as  mates. 

Uhiji-ni  no  Mikoto. 
Mud  earth  (honorific  affix). 

Suhiji-ni  no  Mikoto,  his  younger  sister  or  wife. 
Sand  earth. 

A  BRANCH. 

Ama-ahi  no  Mikoto. 
Heaven  meet. 

FIFTH  GENERATION. 

Heavenly  Gods  born  as  mates. 

Oho-toma-hiko  no  Mikoto. 
Great  mat  prince. 

Oho-toma-he  no  Mikoto,  his  younger  sister  or  wife. 
Great  mat  place. 

A  BRANCH. 

Ame  ya-wo-hi  no  Mikoto. 
Heaven  eight  hundred  days, 

SIXTH  GENERATION. 

Heavenly  Gods  born  as  mates. 

Awo-kashiki  ne  no  Mikoto. 
Green  awful  (honorific). 

Aya-kashiki  ne  no  Mikoto,  his  younger  sister  or  wife. 
Ah!  awful. 

A  BRANCH. 

Ame  no  ya-so-yorodzu-dama  no  Mikoto. 
Eighty  myriad  spirits. 

SEVENTH  GENERATION. 
Heavenly  Gods  born  as  mates. 

Izanagi  no  Mikoto. 

Izanami  no  Mikoto,  his  younger  sister  or  wife. 
394 


GENEALOGY  OF  THE  AGE  OF  THE  GODS 

A  BRANCH. 

Taka  mi-musubi  no  Mikoto. 
High  august  growth. 

CHILDREN. 

Ama  no  omohi-game  no  Mikoto. 
Heaven  thought-compriser. 

Ama  no  futo-dama  no  Mikoto. 
Bigjewel. 

Ama  no  woshi-hi  no  Mikoto. 
Endure  sun. 

Ama  no  kamu-dachi  no  Mikoto, 
God  stand. 

Next  there  was — 

Kamu  mi  musubi  no  Mikoto. 
Above  growth. 

CHILDREN. 

Amc  no  mi  ke  mochi  no  Mikoto. 
August  food  hold. 

Ame  no  michi  ne  no  Mikoto. 
Road  (honorific). 

Ame  no  kami-dama  no  Mikoto. 
God  jewel. 

Iku-dama  no  Mikoto. 
Live  jewel. 

Next  there  was — 

Tsu-haya-dama  no  Mikoto. 
Port  quick  jewel. 

CHILDREN. 

Ichi-chi-dama  no  Mikoto. 
Market  thousand  jewel. 

Kogoto-dama  no  Mikoto. 
Ama  no  ko-yane  no  Mikoto. 
Child-roof. 

395 


MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS  OF  JAPAN 

Takechi-nokori  no  Mikoto. 
Brave  milk  remnant. 

Next  there  was — 

Furu-dama  no  Mikoto. 
Shake  jewel. 

CHILDREN. 

Saki-dama  no  Mikoto. 
First  jewel. 

Ama  no  woshi-dachi  no  Mikoto. 
Endure  stand. 

Next  there  was — 

Yorodzu-dana  no  Mikoto.. 
Myriad  jewel. 

CHILD. 

Ama  no  koha-kaha  no  Mikoto 
Hard  river. 


396 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

ANDERSON,  WILLIAM. 

'  The  Pictorial  Arts  of  Japan. 

•  Descriptive    and  Historical  Catalogue    of   Japanese   and  Chinese 
Paintings  in  the  British  Museum. 

History  of  Japanese  Art. 
ASTON,  W.  G. 

A  History  of  Japanese  Literature. 

A  Grammar  of  the  Japanese  Written  Language. 

A  Grammar  of  the  Japanese  Spoken  Language. 

The  Nihongi.     Transactions  of  the  Japan  Society,  1896. 
AUDSLEY,  G.  A. 

Ornamental  Arts  of  Japan. 
AUDSLEY,  G.  A.,  and  TOMKINSON,  M. 

The  Art  Carvings  of  Japan. 
AYRTON,  W.  E.,  and  PERRY,  J. 

On  the  Magic  Mirrors  of  Japan,     Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Society, 

Vol.  xxvii. 
BACON,  A.  M. 

In  the  Land  oj  the  Gods. 

Japanese  Girls  and  Women. 
BALLARD,  S. 

Fairy -Tales  from  Far  Japan. 
BATCHELOR,  Rev.  J. 

The  Ainu  of  Japan. 
BINYON,  LAURENCE. 

The  Flight  of  the  Dragon. 
BISHOP,  Mrs. 

Unbeaten  Tracks  In  Japan. 
BRINKLEY,  Captain  F. 

Japan  and  China. 
CHAMBERLAIN,  BASIL  HALL. 

Things  Japanese. 

Japanese  Poetry. 

The  Language,  Mythology,  and  Geographical  Nomenclature  of  Japan, 
Viewed  In  the  Light  of  Aino  Studies. 

Handbook  of  Colloquial  Japanese. 

Practical  Introduction  to  Study  of  Japanese  Writing. 

Murray's  Handbook  for  Japan.     (In  collaboration  with  W.  B. 
MASON.) 

397 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

CHAMBERLAIN,  BASIL  HALL  (continued). 

A  Translation  of  the  "  Kojiki,"  or  "  Records  of  Ancient  Matters" 
with  Introduction  and  Commentary.  Published  as  Supplement 
to  Vol.  x.  of  the  Transactions  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Japan. 

The  Japanese  Fairy -Tales  Series . 
CONDER,  J. 

The  Floral  Art  of  Japan. 

Flowers  of  Japan. 

Landscape  Gardening  in  Japan. 
DAVIDSON,  J.  W. 

The  Island  oj  Formosa,  Past  and  Present:  History,  People,  Resources, 

and  Commercial  Prospects. 
DAVIS,  F.  HADLAND. 

The  Land  of  the  Yellow  Spring,  and  other  Japanese  Stories. 
DE  BEN  NEVILLE,  JAMES  S. 

Salt 5  Musashi-Bd  Benkei.     Tales  of  the  Wars  ofGempei. 
DENNING,  WALTER. 

Life  of  Hideyoshi. 

Japan  in  Days  of  Yore. 
DICK,  STEWART. 

Arts  and  Crafts  of  Old  Japan. 
DICKINS,  F.  VICTOR. 

The  Old  Bamboo-heiver't  Story.  (A  translation  of  the  Take  tori 
Monogatari.) 

Primitive  and  Mediaeval  Japanese  Texts. 

Ht-Jt-Ki  ("Notes  from  a  Ten  Feet  Square  Hut").  From 
the  Japanese  of  Kamo  No  ChOmei. 

The  Chiushingura;  or,  The  Loyal  League.     Translated  with  Notes 

and  an  Appendix  containing  The  Ballad  of  Takasago. 
Du  CANB,  FLORENCE. 

Flowers  and  Gardens  of  Japan. 
EDWARDS,  OSMAN. 

Japanese  Plays  and  Playfellows. 
GILES,  H.  A. 

A  History  of  Chinese  Literature. 

Strange  Stories  from  a  Chinese  Studio. 

GONSE,  Louis. 

UArt  Japonais. 

GOWLAND,  W. 

Dolmens  and  Burial  Mounds  in  Japan. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

GRIFFIS,  Rev.  W.  E. 

The  Japanese  Nation  in  Evolution. 
The  Mikadtfs  Empire. 
Japan  in  History,  Folklore,  and  Art. 
Fairy-Tales  of  Old  Japan. 

GULIC,  Rev.  S.  L. 

Evolution  of  the  Japanese. 
HEARN,  LAFCADIO. 

Glimpses  oj  Unfamiliar  Japan. 

Out  of  the  East. 

In  Ghostly  Japan. 

Shadowing*. 

Gleanings  in  Buddha-Fields. 

Kokoro :  Hints  and  Echoes  of  Japanese  Inner  Life. 

A  Japanese  Miscellany. 

Exotics  and  Retrospectives. 

KottS. 

Kwaidan. 

The  Romance  oj-  the  Milky  Way. 

Japan  :  An  Interpretation. 

The  Life  and  Letters  of  Lafcadio  Hearn.     By  ELIZABETH  BISLAND. 

The  Japanese  Letters  of  Lafcadio  Hearn.     Edited  by  ELIZABETH 
BISLAND. 

HINCKS,  M.  A. 

The  Japanese  Dance. 

HUISH,  M.  B. 

Japan  and  its  Art. 

INOUE,  JUKICHI. 

Sketches  ofTdkyS  Life. 

JAMES,  GRACE. 

Green  Willow,  and  other  Japanese  Fairy-Tales. 

JOLY,  HENRI  L. 

Legend  in  Japanese  Art. 

KAEMPFER,  E. 

History  of  Japan. 

KNAPP,  A.  M. 

Feudal  and  Modern  Japan. 

LAY,  A.  H. 

Japanese  Funeral  Rites.     Transactions  of  the  Asiatic   Society  oj 
Japan,  Vol.  xix. 

399 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

LEECH,  J.  H. 

Butterflies  from  Japan. 

LLOYD,  Rev.  ARTHUR. 

The  Creed  of  Half  Japan. 

LONGFORD,  JOSEPH  H. 

The  Story  of  Old  Japan. 
The  Story  of  Korea. 

LOWELL,  PERCIVAL. 

The  Soul  of  the  Far  East. 
Occult  Japan. 

McCLATCHIE,  T.  R.  H. 

Japanese  Heraldry. 

MITFORD,  A.  B.  (LORD  REDESDALE). 
Tales  of  Old  Japan. 

MORRISON,  ARTHUR. 

The  Painters  of  Japan. 

MUNRO,  N.  G. 

Coins  of  Japan. 

NITOBE,  INAZO. 

Bushido  :  The  Sou}  of  Japan. 

NOGUCHI,  YoNE. 

From  the  Eastern  Sea. 
The  Pilgrimage. 
Lafcadio  Hearn  in  Japan. 

OKAKURA,  K. 

The  Book  of  Tea. 
Ideals  of  the  East. 

OKAKURA,  Y. 

The  Japanese  Spirit. 
OKUMA,  Count. 

Fifty  Years  of  New  Japan.    English  edition.    Edited  by  MARCUS 
B.  HUISH. 

OZAKI,  Y.  T. 

The  Japanese  Fairy  Book. 

Warriors  of  Old  Japan. 

Buddha's  Crystal. 
PASTEUR,  VIOLET  M. 

Gods  and  Heroes  of  Old  Japan. 
400 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

PIGGOT,  Sir  F.  T. 

The  Garden  of  Japan. 

The  Music  and  Musical  Instruments  of  Japan. 

PORTER,  ROBERT  P. 

The  Full  Recognition  of  Japan. 
PORTER,  WILLIAM  N. 

A  Tear  of  Japanese  Epigrams. 

A  Hundred  Verses  from  Old  Japan.     A  translation  of  the  Hyaku- 

nin-isshiu,  or  "  Single  Verses  by  a  Hundred  People." 
REIN,  J.  J. 

Japan. 

The  Industries  of  Japan. 

RlNDER,  F. 

Old-world  Japan. 
SALWEY,  C.  M. 

Fans  of  Japan. 

Japanese  Monographs.    Asiatic  Quarterly  Review. 
SARGENT,  C.  S. 

Forest  Flora  of  Japan. 
SATOW,  Sir  ERNEST. 

The  Shinto  Temples  of  he. 

The  Revival  efPure  Shinto. 

Ancient  Japanese  Rituals.     See  Vols.  ii.,  iii.,  vii.,  and  ix.  of  the 

Transactions  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Japan. 
SMITH,  R.  GORDON. 

Ancient  Tales  and  Folk-lore  of  Japan. 
STRANGE,  EDWARD  F. 

Japanese  Colour  Prints. 
TOMITA,  K.,  and  LEE,  G.  A. 

Japanese  Treasure  Tales. 
TOMKINSON,  M. 

A  Japanese  Collection. 
WALSH,  CLARA  A. 

The  Master-Singers  of  Japan. 
WENCKSTERN,  FR.  VON. 

Bibliography  of  the  Japanese  Empire. 
WESTON,  Rev.  WALTER. 

Japanese  Alps. 

2  C  4OI 


INDEX  TO  POETICAL  QUOTATIONS 


Arnold,  Sir  Edwin,  244, 245  (trans- 
lation) 

Aston,  W.  G.,  30,  32,  1 86  (trans- 
lation), 323  (translation) 

Chamberlain,  B.  H.  (translations), 
95. 96,  97, 98, 120,  121,  127,  128, 
175,  3i3,  315,  3i6,  317,  323,  324 

Chiyo,  385 

Chomei,  385 

Dickins,  F.  V.,  154  (translation) 


"  Flower  Dance 
vince),  383 


(of  Bingo  pro- 


Hearn,  Lafcadio,  108 

Is6,  384 

Japanese,  From  the,  177,  278 

Nonguchi,  Yone,  82, 1 1 6, 1 30,  131, 
169,  224 

Smith,  R.  Gordon,  337  (trans- 
lation) 

Walsh,  Clara  A.,  105,  (transla- 
tions) 1 1 8,  149,  206,  216,  282, 
326 

Yasuhide  Bunya,  382 


402 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


THE  PRONUNCIATION  OF  JAPANESE  NAMES 

"  Remember,  in  pronouncing  Japanese,  that  the  consonants  are  to  be 
sounded  approximately  as  in  English,  the  vowels  as  in  Spanish  or 
Italian  ;  that  is  to  say, 

a  as  in  '  father.'  o  as  in  '  pony.' 

e      „      'pet.'  u       „     'full.' 

*      „      '  Pin.' 

"  There  is  scarcely  any  tonic  accent ;  in  other  words,  all  the  syllables 
are  pronounced  equally,  or  nearly  so.  But  particular  care  must  be 
taken  to  distinguish  long  d  and  u.  The  short  vowels  are  pronounced 
in  a  very  light,  staccato  manner.  Thus  O  tori  nasai  means  '  Please 
take  this  ' ;  but  O  tori  nasai  means  '  Please  come  [or  go ;  lit.,  pass]  in.' 
Short  *  and  u  sometimes  become  almost  inaudible.  ...  In  diphthongs 
each  vowel  retains  its  original  force.  Thus  : 

ai  as  in  the  English  word  '  sky.' 
au  ,,  ,,  ,,     '  cow.' 

ei  „  „  „     'hay.' 

"  g  is  hard,  as  in  '  give,'  never  soft,  as  in  '  gin  '  ;  but  in  Tokyo 
and  Eastern  Japan  it  sounds  like  ng  when  in  the  middle  of  a  word, 
exactly  as  in  the  English  words  '  singer,'  '  springy  '  (not  '  sing-ger,' 
'  spring-gy  ').  s  is  always  sharp,  as  in  '  mouse.'  w  is  often  omitted 
after  k  or  g,  as  in  kashi,  '  cake,'  for  kwashi.  Be  very  careful  to  pro- 
nounce double  consonants  really  double,  as  in  English  words  '  shot- 
/ower,'  '  meanness,'  '  cockcrow.'  Thus  kite  with  one  t  means  '  coming  ' ; 
but  kitte  with  two  t's  means  '  a  ticket '  ;  ama  is  a  nun,  amma  a  sham- 
pooer." — Murray's  Handbook  for  Japan,  by  B.  H.  Chamberlain  and 
W.  B.  Mason. 


ABE  NO  MIUSHI.  The  Sadaijin 
Dainagon ;  one  of  Kaguya's 
five  suitors,  66-71 

AINO  GODDESS  OF  FIRE.  The 
name  of  Mount  Fuji  prob- 
ably derived  from  Fuchi,  the, 

131 
AINO-LAND.        Professor    B.    H. 

Chamberlain  writes  re,  131 
AINU,  or  AINO.      Probably  first 

inhabitants     of     Japan,     xiii  ; 

rising   of,   subdued   by   Prince 

Yamato,  54-56 
AJI-SHI-KI.  Friend  of  Ame-waka  ; 

forms  mountain  of  Moyama,  31, 

32 


AKAMAGASEKI.     Temple  of  Ami- 

daji  built  at,  300 
AKASAKI.    Tokoyo  arrives  at,  in 

province  of  Hoki,  334 
AKO,  THE    LORD    OF.      Princess 

Aya  marries  the  second  son  of, 

173 

AMADERA  TEMPLE.  Hanagaki 
Baishu  attends  festival  in,  207 

AMA-NO-HASHIDATE.  A  fir-clad 
promontory  dividing  Lake  Iwa- 
taki  and  Miyazu  Bay,  204 ; 
one  of  the  "Three  Great 
Sights  "  of  Japan,  204  ;  Saion 
Zenji  gazes  on,  204-206 

AMA-NO-HO.  Envoy  sent  out  to 
prepare  way  of  Ninigi,  31 

AMA-TERASU.  Daughter  of 
Izanagi  and  Izanami  ;  the 

4°3 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


Sun  Goddess,  23  ;  ascends  the 
Ladder  of  Heaven,  23  ;  perse- 
cuted by  Susa-no-o,  27;  flees 
to  a  dark  cave,  27  ;  tempted 
by,  to  Heaven,  27,  28  ;  Ninigi 
grandson  of,  32;  her  gifts 
to  Ninigi,  32,  33  ;  Prince 
Yamato  craves  the  blessing 
of,  51 

AME-WAKA.  Envoy  sent  out 
to  prepare  way  of  Ninigi, 
3 1  ;  weds  Shita  -  teru  -  hime, 
31  ;  punished  by  the  Gods,  31, 

32 
AMIDA  BUTSU.    Story  of,  and  the 

whale,  82 
AMIDAJI.      Temple   of,    built   at 

Akamagaseki,  300 
AMITABHA.        Kwanjin    (Chinese 

Kwannon)  the  spiritual  son  of, 

200 
ANDERSON,  DR.  WILLIAM.  Legend 

from  the  Catalogue  of  Japanese 

and   Chinese   Paintings   in   the 

British  Museum,  49,  footnote 
ANIMALS.     Legends  referring  to, 

255-275 

ANOJI.  Place  in  Tamba ;  one  of 
the  thirty -three  places  sacred 
to  Kwannon,  204 

ANTOKO  TENNO.    See  Tenno,  300 

ARNOLD,  SIR  EDWIN.  Reference 
to  his  Seas  and  Lands,  xi 

ART,  JAPANESE.  Due  to  Bud- 
dhism, 114;  quickened  by 
Chinese  influence,  114;  extreme 
beauty  and  ugliness  found  in, 
114;  woman  in,  112-114;  the 
Treasure  Ship  in,  1 1 5-116  ;  the 
miraculous  in,  116;  ghosts 
and  goblins  in,  118  ;  sennin 
in,  357 

ASAGAO.  Legend  from  The 
Diary  of  a  Convolvulus  re- 
garding the  love  of,  244-249  ; 
otherwise  Miyuki,  245,  246 ; 
her  love  for  Komagawa  Mi- 
yagi,  245-249 

ASAKA  ("Slight  Fragrance"). 
Friend  of  Asagao,  246 

ASHIGARA  MOUNTAIN.  Yaegiri 
goes  to,  and  gives  birth  to 
Kintaro  there,  367 

404 


ASHI  -  NADZUCHI  (Foot  -  stroke  - 
elder).  An  earthly  deity,  hus- 
band of  Tenadzuchi,  and  father 
of  Kushi-nada-hime,  29  ;  gives 
his  daughter  in  marriage  to 
Susa-no-o,  29,  30 

ASHIN6YA.  Village  in  which 
Maiden  of  Unai  dwelt,  313- 

315 

ASTON,  DR.  W.  G.  Reference  to 
the  torii,  by,  226 ;  descrip- 
tion in  the  Heike  Monog atari 
of  great  sea-fight  between  Taira 
and  Minamoto  clans  translated 
by,  300 

ATSUMORI.  Story  regarding  her 
use  of  the  fan,  243 

AWABI,  THE  GREAT.  A  group  of, 
340,  341  ;  the  Spirit  of,  appears 
to  Kansuke,  341 

AYA,  PRINCESS.  The  Spirit  of  the 
Peony  and,  171-173  ;  love  for 
the  Spirit  of  the  Peony  in  the 
form  of  a  young  and  handsome 
samurai,  172,  173  ;  Sadayo, 
maid  of,  172 

AYAME,  THE  LADY.  Married  to 
Yorimasa,  39 

AYRTON,  PROFESSOR.  Japanese 
mirrors  and,  190 


BADGER-S.  Story  of  the  hare  and 
the,  on  the  Crackling  Mountain, 
258-260;  description  of,  in 
legend,  260 ;  Kadzutoyo  and 
the,  260,  262 

BAELZ,  DR.,  of  the  Imperial 
University  of  Japan.  Opinion 
of,  re  the  Japanese  and  Mongols, 
xiii ;  reference  to,  94 

BAISHU,  HANAGAKI.  See  Hana- 
gaki  Baishu,  207-209 

BAKIN.  A  famous  Japanese 
novelist ;  his  Kumono  Tayema 
Ama  Yo  No  Tsuki  and  thun- 
der legends,  250;  the  In 
(female  principle)  and  the 
Yo  (male  principle)  associated 
with  thunder,  remarks  on  by, 
252 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


BAKU.  A  supernatural  creature 
known  as  the  Eater  of  Dreams, 
358,  359 

BATO-KWANNON.  See  Kwannon, 
200 

BELL-S.  Japanese,  described,  140  ; 
the  largest  in  the  Jodo  temple 
of  Chion,  at  Kyoto,  140  ;  the 
bell  of  Enkakuji  the  largest  in 
Kamakura,  140 ;  the  bell  of 
Miidera,  141,  142 

BENKEI.  One  of  the  most  lovable 
of  Japanese  heroes,  xvi ;  com- 
pared with  Little  John,  Will 
Scarlet,  and  Friar  Tuck  com- 
bined, 39 ;  conflicting  traits 
in  his  character,  40  ;  became 
a  Buddhist  priest  at  age 
of  seventeen,  40 ;  adventure 
with  Tamamushi,  40  ;  breaks 
from  priestcraft  and  becomes 
a  lawless  warrior,  41  ;  his 
doings  at  Mount  Hiei,  42  ; 
waylays  knights  crossing  the 
Gojo  Bridge  of  Kyoto,  42  ; 
conquered  by  Yoshitsune,  42, 
43  ;  assists  Yoshitsune  finally 
to  drive  out  the  Taira,  43,  44  ; 
carries  off  the  bell  of  Miidera, 
142,  143  ;  reference  to  story 
of,  351,  352 

BENTEN.  One  of  the  Seven 
Gods  of  Good  Fortune,  115, 

206  ;  variants,  Goddess  of  the 
Sea,  of  Love,  of  Beauty,  and 
Eloquence,  115,  206 ;  resembles 
Kwannon,   206  ;      the   Dragon 
and,    207  ;    famous    Island    of 
Enoshima  and  the  coming  of, 

207  ;     temple    of    the    "  Birth 
Water  "  sacred  to,  207  ;  Hana- 
gaki  Baishu  and,  207-209 

BIBLIOGRAPHY.    See  397-401 

BIMBO.  Raitaro  (the  Child  of 
Thunder)  and,  252,  253 

BIMBOGAMI.  The  God  of  Poverty  ; 
Japanese  superstitions  and,  349 

BIMBOMUSHI  ("  Poverty-Insect "). 
Superstition  ve,  349 

BIRD-S.  Legends  of,  276-280  ; 
the  hototogisu,  a  mysterious, 
278  ;  the  Tongue-cut  Sparrow, 
279 ;  killing  of,  contrary  to 


teaching  of  the  Lord  Buddha, 

280  ;   Saijosen  and  the  Phoenix, 

281  ;      called    0-Goncho,     363  ; 
birds  beloved  of  Chomei,  385 

BISHAMON.  One  of  the  Seven 
Gods  of  Good  Fortune,  1 1 5 

BIWA,  LAKE.  Hidesato's  en- 
counters with  the  Dragon  King 
of,  62-64 ;  Visu  sees  lake 
bearing  name  of,  137  ;  Pro- 
fessor Chamberlain's  opinion  re, 

137 
BANKO,    ADMIRAL.      Kohaku    Jo 

sends  treasures   by,  to  temple 

of  Kofukuji,  89 
BON   ODORI.      A  dance    at    the 

Festival    of    the    Dead,     181  ; 

origin  of,  223  ;    corresponds  to 

the  Indian  sraddha,  224 
BOWL.      The    Begging -bowl    of 

the  Lord  Buddha,  see  Buddha, 

67-69 ;  the  Maiden  with  the,  on 

her  head,  316-322 
"  Box  OF  THE  JEWEL  HAND."    See 

Tamate-Bako,  327 
BREATH,  GOD  OF  LONG.     Yosoji 

visits  shrine  of,  1 34 
BRINKLEY,  CAPTAIN.     His  refer- 
ence in  Japan  and  China  to  the 

belief    of    Yedo    Government 

officials  in  Tengu,  355 
BRONZE  BUDDHA.     See  Buddha, 

82 
BUDDHA  FLOOD.     Otherwise  the 

Tide  of  the  Returning  Ghosts, 

323 

BUDDHA,  THE  LORD.  Begging- 
bowl  of,  67  ;  the  legend  of  the 
Golden  Lotus  and,  80-82  ; 
the  Bronze,  of  Kamakura,  and 
the  whale,  82-86  ;  the  Crystal 
of,  86 ;  has  compassion  on 
spirit  of  the  Death-Stone,  98  ; 
the  White  Lotus  the  sacred 
flower  of,  1 30  ;  the  eight 
Intelligences  of  —  Perception, 
Purpose,  Speech,  Conduct, 
Living,  Effort,  Mindfulness, 
Contemplation,  130;  cat  and 
serpent  only  creatures  that  did 
not  weep  at  death  of,  264 ; 
copies  of  footprint  of,  as  charms, 
348  ;  lamp  of,  357 

405 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


BUDDHISM.  Its  contribution  to 
Japanese  religion  and  art,  xii ; 
success  in  Japan,  secured  not 
by  sweeping  out  Gods  of  Shinto 
but  in  clever  adaptations  from 
India  and  China,  80  ;  Japan 
owed  art  to,  114;  pictorial 
art  given  to  Nippon  by,  114  ; 
the  power  of  Karma  one  of  the 
great  doctrines  of,  143  ;  the 
lotus  the  sacred  flower  of, 
169 ;  the  torii  adopted  by, 
226  ;  Nichiren  attempts  to  re- 
store to  original  purity,  240, 241 

BUDDHIST.  Shingon-shu,  a  sect 
founded  by  Kobo  Daishi,  234  ; 
Nichiren  sect  founded  by  Ni- 
chiren, 240  ;  first  temple  at 
Nikko,  Shodo  Shonin  founder 
of,  242  ;  saint,  Dengyo  Daishi, 
introduced  tea  into  Japan,  293 

BUDDHIST  DIVINITIES.  Jizo  the 
most  lovable  of,  104  ;  jealousy 
of,  toward  Daikoku,  211,  212 

BUTTERFLY-IES.  Connected  with 
folk-lore,  216;  legends  re,  bor- 
rowed by  Japanese  from  China, 
217;  Japanese .  poets  and 
"butterfly  names,"  217;  ro- 
mantic game  of,  217  ;  Emperor 
Genso  and,  217  ;  of  good  and 
evil  omen,  217  ;  suggestion  of 
Lafcadio  Hearn  re,  217  ;  refer- 
ences in  Japanese  drama  re,  2 1 8  ; 
legend  of  the  White,  218-219  ; 
significance  in  Old  Japan,  381, 
382 


CARP.  Legend  of  the  Dragon,  221  ; 
flag  shaped  like  a,  221  ;  sym- 
bolism of  the,  221  ;  Bakin's 
reference  to,  252 

CATHAY,  GREAT.  Spirit  of  Death- 
Stone  took  form  of  Hoji  in,  97 

CAT-S.  The  Japanese,  not 
popular,  264  ;  the  serpent  and 
the,  did  not  weep  when  the 
Lord  Buddha  died,  264  ;  story 
of  the  vampire,  265-268  ; 
Shippeitaro  and  the  phantom, 
269,  270 

406 


CELESTIAL  RIVER.  Hikoboshi  and 
Tanabata  separated  at  the,  126, 
127 

CHAMBERLAIN,  PROFESSOR  BASIL 
HALL.  Reference  to  his  works, 
Things  Japanese,  Kojiki  (trans- 
lation of),  Handbook  JOY  Japan, 
and  Japanese  Poetry,  v  ;  legend 
of  the  Death-Stone  translated 
t>y,  95  ;  reference  to  his  trans- 
lation of  Ha-Goromo,  127  ; 
his  reference  to  Mount  Fuji, 
131  ;  designs  on  Chinese 
banners  described  by,  162  ; 
Japanese  mirrors  described  by, 
190  ;  reference  to  the  torii  by, 
226 ;  reference  to  temple  at 
Kawasaki  sacred  to  Kobo 
Daishi,  in  Murray's  Handbook 
for  Japan,  by,  239  ;  reference 
to  samisen,  the  favourite  instru- 
ment of  the  singing-girls,  by, 
247  ;  reference  to  cats  in  Things 
Japanese,  264 ;  reference  to 
Japanese  dogs,  268  ;  on  tea 
ceremonies,  293  ;  his  transla- 
tion of  the  ballad  of  "  The 
Maiden  of  Katsushika,"  316, 
317  ;  the  legend  of  Urashima 
and,  324  ;  his  explanation  re 
the  Japanese  equivalent  for 
Dragon  Palace,  324  ;  his  refer- 
ence to  Urashima's  tomb,  328  ; 
reference  to  Japanese  charms, 
348 ;  description  of  the  Tengu 
by,  352  ;  story  of  Shikaiya 
Wasobioye  adapted  from  his 
translation  in  the  Transactions 
of  the  A  siatic  Society  of  Japan, 

374 

CHARMS.    See  Superstitions,  348 

CHIKUBU-SHIMA.  Island  in  Lake 
Biwa,  in  Omi,  one  of  the 
thirty-three  places  sacred  to 
Kwannon,  204 

CHILDREN.  Jizo  the  God  of  the, 
104-111  ;  the  Cave  of  the 
Ghosts  of  the,  109 ;  super- 
stitions relating  to,  347,  348 

CHINA.  Emperor  Koso  wooes  and 
weds  Kohaku  Jo,  daughter  of 
Kamatari,  86-88  ;  butterfly 
connected  with*l  folk  -lore  in, 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


216;  Thunder  God  in,  250; 
thunder  animal  in,  251  ;  tea- 
drinking  in,  291,  292  ;  Dragon 
of,  362 

CHINU.      Of   Izumi,   one   of  the 

Maiden  of  Unai's  lovers,  3 1 3-3 1 6 

CHINESE.      Japan  called  Jih-pen 

by,    xiv;     banners,  described, 

162  ;    myth,   Kwannon  known 

as  Kwanjin  in,  200 

CHIYO.    A  beautiful  woman  slain 

by  Shokuro,  2  54 ;  restored  to  life 

by  Raiden,  254 ;  Shokuro  makes 

peace  with,  254;    a  poetess  of 

the  same  name  makes  pathetic 

reference  to  a  dragon-Hy,  282  ; 

a  touching  hokku  by,  385 

CHIYODO.     Child  of  Heitaro  and 

Higo  (Willow),  1 80 
CHOKORO.    Depicted  releasing  his 
magic    horse   from   a   gigantic 
gourd,  357 

CHOMEI.     Twelfth -century    Bud- 
dhist recluse;  reference  to  his 
Ho-jo-ki,  1 60,  385    _ 
CHOMEIJI.    Place  in  Omi ;  one  of 
the  thirty-three   places  sacred 
to  Kwannon,  204 
CHOSEN.    Otherwise  the  Land  of 
the    Morning    Calm,    the    old 
name  for  Korea,  328 
CHOW  DYNASTY.    Kwanjin  origi- 
nally the  daughter  of  the  King 
of  the,  200 
CHRONICLES     OF     JAPAN     ("  Ni- 

HONGI  ").  Reference  to,  xv 
CHRYSANTHEMUM.  The  Japanese 
flag  and  the,  161-163  ;  Japan's 
national  flower,  the,  162;  poeti- 
cal naming  of  the,  163  ;  Lady 
White  and  Lady  Yellow,  story 
of,  163-165  ;  Kikuo("  Chrysan- 
themum -  Old  -  Man ' ' ),  retainer 
of  Tsugaru,  story  of ,  165-167 
CHUJO  HIME.  A  Buddhist  nun, 
the  greatest  early  Japanese 
artist  of  embroidery,  an  in- 
carnation of  Kwannon,  201  ; 
retires  to  temple  of  Toema- 
dera,  201 

CONDER,  JOSIAH.    Tells  of  CUStom 

connected  with    pine-trees    at 
wedding  feasts,  1 59 


CONFUCIUS.  Added  fresh  material 
to  the  Yih-King  ("Book  of 
Changes  "),  344 

CONTENTMENT,  THE  GOD  OF. 
See  Hotei,  211-213 

CORPSE-EATER.  See  Muso  Koku- 
shi,  305-308  ;  maiden  who 
tested  the  love  of  her  suitors 
as  a,  311,  312 

CRYSTAL,  THE,  of  Buddha,  89-91 


D 


DAIBUTSU,  THE.  See  Buddha 
(the  Bronze),  82 

DAIKOKU.  One  of  the  Seven 
Gods  of  Good  Fortune,  115; 
associated  with  Ebisu  (his  son) 
and  Hotei,  the  God  of  Laughter, 
21 1 ;  his  wonderful  Mallet,  211  ; 
a  Rat  the  second  attribute 
of,  211  ;  old  legend  regarding 
jealousy  of  Buddhist  Gods  to- 
ward, 211,  212;  the  sixfold 
representation  of,  212  ;  usually 
pictured  with  his  son,  Ebisu,  212 

DAI-MOKENREN.  A  great  disciple 
of  Buddha;  sees  soul  of  his 
mother  in  the  Gakido,  223 

DAIMYO.  Lady  White  reaches 
palace  of,  164,  165 

DAN-DOKU,  MOUNT.  The  Lord 
Buddha's  meditations  upon,  80 

DAN-NO-URA.  The  Taira  clan 
finally  driven  into  the  sea  by 
Benkei  and  Yoshitsune,  43,  44  ; 
Hoi'chi  receives  stranger,  who 
wishes  to  view  scene  of  the 
battle  of,  301-304 

DARUMA.  Son  of  a  Hindu  king, 
297  ;  tempted  like  St.  Anthony, 
297  ;  Indian  sage  whose  image 
was  associated  with  the  ritual- 
istic drinking  of  tea  by  the  Zen 
sect  in  Japan,  297-299  ;  refer- 
ence to,  will  be  found  in  Some 
Chinese  Ghosts  and  A  Japanese 
Miscellany,  by  Lafcadio  Hearn, 
297,  299 

DAVIS,  F.  HADLAND.  Reference 
to  Land  of  the  Yellow  Spring 
(page  113),  by,  93,  149 

407 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


DEAD,  LORD  OF  THE.  Emma-O, 
the,  no,  20 1 

DEATH -SPIDER.  Japanese  Bim- 
bomushi  ( ' '  Poverty  -  Insect  ' ' ) 
equivalent  to  our,  349 

DEATH-STONE.  Warning  remarks 
of  spirit  of  the,  to  the  Buddhist 
priest  Genno,  95;  legend  of, 
related,  95-98 

DEMONIACAL  POSSESSION.  Attri- 
buted to  evil  influence  of  foxes, 

94 

DENGYO  DAISHI.  Buddhist  saint 
who  first  introduced  tea  into 
Japan,  293 

DESTINY.     Jizo  at  foot  of,  109 

DIVINATION,  CLASSICAL.  Asso- 
ciated with  Japanese  supersti- 
tion, 344;  Y*A-X*ttg("Bookof 
Changes  ")  main  source  of  the 
art,  344  ;  various  forms  of, 
344-346 

DOG.  In  Japan,  looked  on  as  a 
friendly  animal,  268 

DOLL-S.  Comparison  of  English 
and  Japanese,  214-216 ;  last 
resting-place,  216;  dedicated 
to  Kojin  when  dead,  177,  216  ; 
the  Feast  of,  otherwise  the 
Girls'  Festival,  216 

DRAGON.  Intimately  associated 
with  Japanese  mythology,  362  ; 
of  Japan,  and  of  China,  362  ;  one 
of  the  signs  of  the  Zodiac,  363  ; 
in  old  Chinese  conception  of 
earth,  four  seas  ruled  over  by 
four  Dragon  Kings,  the  Celestial, 
the  Spiritual,  the  Earth,  and 
the  Dragon  of  the  Hidden 
Treasure,  363  ;  a  bird  called 
O-Goucho,  transformation  into 
a  white,  363 

DRAGON-FLIES.  Mention  of,  in 
Japanese  poetry,  282  ;  Chiyo 
and  her  pathetic  reference  to, 
282 

DRAGON  KING  (of  the  Sea). 
Steals  Crystal  of  Buddha,  90  ; 
Urashima  at  the  palace  of,  325- 
328  ;  Otohime  the  daughter 
of  325  ;  sends  Tide  Jewels  to 
Empress  Jingo  by  Isora,  331  ; 

resents   Tide  Jewels  to  Ojin, 


333  ;  Mamikiko  meets  a  Shojd 
who  lives  near  palace  of,  361 

DRAGON  KINGDOM.  Samebito 
and,  376-379 

DRAGON  PALACE.  The  Evergreen 
Land  appears  in  the  ballad 
"  The  Fisher  Boy  Urashima  " 
as,  324 ;  Professor  Chamber- 
lain's explanation  re  the  equiva- 
lent in  Japanese,  324  ;  Same- 
bito and  the,  378 

DREAMS,  EATER  OF.  The  Baku 
known  as  the,  358,  359 

Du  CANE,  Miss  FLORENCE.  Her 
descriptions  concerning  Japan- 
ese rocks  and  stones,  1 57 


EARTH  AND  HEAVEN.  Elements 
which  comprised,  21 

EAST,  SIR  ALFRED.  Japanese  art 
described  by,  112 

EBB-TIDE  JEWEL.  See  Jewels, 
331,  &c. 

EBISU.  One  of  the  Seven  Gods 
of  Good  Fortune,  115;  son  of 
Daikoku,  211  ;  the  God  of 
Labour,  211;  usually  pictured 
with  his  father,  Daikoku,  212 

EGYPTIAN.  Cosmogony  stories, 
reference  to,  21 ;  conception  of 
the  future  life,  117 

EIGHT  -  ARMS  -  LENGTH  -  SPEAR. 
Given  to  Yamato,  54 

EIGHTY  MYRIAD  GODS.  Make 
entertainment  to  tempt  the 
Sun  Goddess  (Ama-terasu)  back 
to  Heaven,  28 

EISAI.  A  Buddhist  priest  who 
wrote  a  pamphlet  entitled  The 
Salutary  Influence  of  Tea- 
drinking,  294  ;  effort  to  con- 
vert Minamoto-no-Sanetomo 
from  wine-cup,  294 

ELIXIR  OF  LIFE.  Brought  by 
Moonfolk  to  Lady  Kaguya,  78  ; 
Rosei  drinks  of,  121  ;  Mount 
Fuji  the  abode  of  the,  132 

EMMA-O.  The  Lord  and  Judge 
of  the  dead,  no  ;  Jizo  pleads 
with,  on  behalf  of  Soga  Sada- 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


yoshi,  in  ;  Festival  of  the 
Dead  and,  117;  Ono-no-Kimi 
appears  before,  140 ;  Tokudo 
Shonin  conducted  into  the 
presence  of,  201  ;  Shiro  sent 
by,  to  conquer  the  God  of 
Wealth,  211,  212;  Festival 
of  the  Dead  and,  222,  323 

EMMEI  OF  DOGEN-JI.  Becomes  a 
sennin,  356 

ENGLAND.  Tea-drinking  in  Japan 
and,  290,  291 

ENKAKUJI.  The  great  bell  of,  140, 
141 

ENOSHIMA.  A  famous  island, 
associated  with  the  coming  of 
Benten,  207 

ETERNAL  LAND.  The  God 
"  Thought -combining  "  brings 
birds  from,  27 

ETERNITY.  Its  meaning  to  the 
famous  artist,  Hokusai,  117 

EVERGREEN  LAND.  See  Dragon 
Palace,  324 ;  orange  first 
brought  from,  to  Japan,  324 


FAN,  JAPANESE.  Significance  of, 
243  ;  use  of,  243  ;  use  at 
festival  of  Sun  Goddess  in 
Ise,  243  ;  symbolism  of,  de- 
scribed by  Mrs.  C.  M.  Salwey, 
244 ;  legend,  "  The  Love  of 
Asagao,"  from  The  Diary  of  a 
Convolvulus,  244-249 

FESTIVAL-S.  Of  the  Dead,  117, 
161,  181  ;  of  Tanabata,  126; 
New  Year,  176,  220;  the  Girls', 
216;  the  Dolls',  216;  the  Boys', 
221  ;  the  Laughing,  of  Wasa, 
225  ;  of  the  Minige,  and  Oho- 
kuninushi  the  Bronze  Horse, 
at,  275 

FESTIVAL  OF  TANABATA.  Alter- 
native, the  Weaving  Lady ; 
most  romantic  of  Japanese 
festivals,  126 

FESTIVAL  OF  THE  DEAD.  Afforded 
a  joyous  exit  from  the  world 
of  Emma -6,  117;  the  greatest 
argument  for  Japan's  love  of 


Nature  found  in  the,  161 ;  Bon 
Odori,  a  dance  at  the,  181  ; 
customs  and  rites  connected 
with  the,  222-224  ;  the  Tide 
of  the  Returning  Ghosts  and, 
323  ;  poet  souls  and  the,  386 

FIELD-PATHS,  DEITY  OF.  Accosted 
by  Uzume,  33 

FIELDS,  THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE,  330 

FIRE  APPARITIONS.  Varieties  in 
Japan,  357,  358 

FIREFLIES.  Stories  re,  2 8  5-2 89;  the 
MinamotoandtheTaira  believed 
to  be  the  ghosts  of  the  Minamoto 
and  Taira  clans,  285,  286 

FIRE  GOD.  Kagu-tsuchi,  child 
of  Izanagi  and  Izanami,  the,  23 

FIRMAMENT,  GOD  OF  THE. 
Tanabata  daughter  of,  126 

FLAG,  JAPANESE.  The  chrysan- 
themum and,  161-163 

FLOATING  BRIDGE  OF  HEAVEN. 
Uzume  and  her  companions 
rest  on  the,  33 

FLOOD-TIDE  JEWEL.  See  Jewels, 
331,  &c. 

FLOWERS.  The  love  of,  its  growth 
and  symbolism  among  J  apanese, 
154-156  ;  legends  of,  163-173 

FOOTSTOOL  OF  THE  KING.  Torii 
before  the  Itsukushima  shrine 
on  Island  of  Myajima  ;  alter- 
natives, "  The  Gateway  of 
Light  "  and  "  The  Water  Gate 
of  the  Sacred  Island,"  227 

Fox  GOD.    See  Inari 

Fox  LEGENDS.  "  The  Death- 
Stone  "  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable, 95 

FUDARAKU-JI.  Place  at  Nachi,  in 
Kishu  ;  one  of  the  thirty -three 
places  sacred  to  Kwannon,  203 

FUDO.  I.  God.  Identified  with 
Dainichi,  the  God  of  Wisdom  ; 
Kiyo  visits  shrine  of,  147  ; 
temple  on  Oki-Yama  dedicated 
to,  1 80  ;  the  one-eyed  priest 
at  temple  of,  180-182.  II.  Cape. 
Known  as  the  Cape  of  the 
Woman's  Sword,  337 

FUGIN.  Raiden,  the  Thunder 
God,  often  found  in  company 
with,  250 

409 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


FUJI  (Fuji-yama  —  i.e.,  Never 
Dying).  Name  given  to  highest 
mountain  in  Suruga,  79  (see 
Suruga) ;  seems  to  be  typically 
Japanese,  130;  the  mountain 
of  the  Lotus  and  the  Fan, 
1 30  ;  a  place  of  pilgrimage  for 
hundreds  of  years,  131  ;  its 
peak  described  by  Lafcadio 
Hearn  as  "the  Supreme  Altar 
of  the  Sun,"  131  ;  an  extinct 
volcano,  131  ;  name  derived 
from  Huchi,  or  Fuchi,  the 
Aino  Goddess  of  Fire,  131  ; 
the  deities  of,  132  ;  the  abode 
of  the  Elixir  of  Life,  132  ; 
Jofuku  at,  133  ;  Sentaro  visits, 
133  ;  the  Goddess  of,  134,  138  ; 
Visu's  adventures  near,  136- 
139  ;  Yurine  lived  near,  359 

FUJII-DERA.  Place  in  Kawachi ; 
one  of  the  thirty-three  places 
sacred  to  Kwannon,  203 

FUKUROKUJU.  One  of  the  Seven 
Gods  of  Good  Fortune,  115 

FUSAGO.  Sent  by  the  Mikado  to 
Kaguya,  73 

FUTON  (Quilt),  THE,  of  Tottori, 
309-311 


GAMA.  With  his  wizard  toad,  de- 
picted as  a  sennin  in  Japanese 
art,  357 

GARDEN-S.  English  and  Japanese 
contrasted,  154;  general  de- 
scription of  Japanese,  156; 
Kobori  -  Enshiu,  the  great 
Japanese  designer  of,  156  ;  the 
torii,  or  arch,  a  characteristic 
of  Japanese,  157 

GARDEN  OF  SKULLS.  Idea  of, 
borrowed  by  Hiroshige  from 
Heike  Monogatari,  119 

GENEALOGY.  Table  showing  the 
Age  of  the  Gods,  393~396 

GENNO.  A  Buddhist  priest  ; 
warning  of  the  Spirit  of  the 
Death -stone  to,  95  ;  story  of 
the  Jewel  Maiden  related  to, 
95-98 

4IO 


Victim  at  building  of 
over   river   at   Matsue, 


GENSUKE. 
bridge 

344 

GESSHOJI  TEMPLE,  THB.  The 
gigantic  tortoise  of,  275 

GHOST -s.  Of  the  Circle  of  Penance, 
fed  in  connection  with  the 
Festival  of  the  Dead,  223  ;  the 
ghost  mother,  308  ;  the  Tide 
of  the  Returning,  and  the 
Festival  of  the  Dead,  323 

GILBERT  AND  SULLIVAN.  Refer- 
ence to  their  The  Mikado,  xi 

GISUKE.  Brother  of  O  Cho  San, 
338  ;  favours  suit  of  Shin- 
saku,  338  ;  builds  shrine  to 
O  Cho  San,  339 

GOBLIN  KING.  Shutendoji,  the  ; 
his  doings  on  Mount  Oye,  44-48 

GOBLINS.     Ghosts  and,  1 1 8 

GOD  OF  ROADS,  THE.  The  pine- 
tree  and,  176;  love-test  by 
invoking  the,  346 

GOD  OF  THE  SEA.  Hoori  visits 
palace  of,  35  ;  father  of  Toyo- 
tama  ("Rich-jewel"),  36;  pre- 
sents Hoori  with  the  Jewels  of 
the  Flowing  Tide  and  the 
Ebbing  Tide,  36 

GODS  AND  GODDESSES.  A  general 
summary  of,  387-391 

GO-FUKAKUSA,  EMPEROR.  Saim- 
yoji  Tokiyori  a  celebrated 
Regent  during  reign  of,  182 

GomTSu-OsHO.  Name  given  to 
Kobo  Daishi  by  Chinese  em- 
peror, 236 

Gojo  BRIDGE  OF  KYOTO.  Benkei's 
lawless  doings  towards  knights 
happening  to  cross  the,  42 

GOLDEN  LOTUS.  Legend  of,  80- 
82 

GONGEN.  Two  of  Raiko's  knights 
visit  shrine  of,  45 

Go-ToBA.  The  silent  pine  and 
the  Emperor,  177 

GRASS,  THE  SPIRIT  OF,  330 

GRASS-CLEAVING-SWORD.  Given 
to  Yamato,  54  ;  the  origin  of 
its  name,  55 

GREAT  -  MOUNTAIN  -  POSSESSOR. 
Identical  with  Oho-yama,  the 
Spirit  of  the  Mountains,  34 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


GREEY,    EDWARD.      The   legend 

of  the  Golden  Lotus,  version  of, 

by,  80 
GULLIVER.     Shikaiya  Wasobioye 

of  Nagasaki  a   Japanese,  374- 

376 


H 


HACHIMAN.  The  God  of  War  ; 
two  of  Raiko's  intending  com- 
panions visit  the  temple  of, 
45  ;  temple  of,  still  remains, 
82  ;  Yoritomo  erects  shrines  to, 
278  ;  infant  Emperor,  Antoku 
Tenno,  at  shrine  of,  300 

HADES  (see  Yorni),  23;  messages 
from,  357 

HANAGAKI  BAISHU.  A  young 
poet ;  and  Benten-of-the-Birth- 
Water,  207-210 

HAPPINESS,  LAND  OF  PERFECT. 
See  Land,  300 

HARA-KIRI,  or  SEPPUKU.  Term 
applied  to  suicide  among  the 
samurai  class,  161 

HARE.  Legends  re,  255-260; 
Taoist  legends  and  the,  255  ; 
story  of  hare  and  badger  on 
the  Crackling  Mountain,  258- 
260 

HASE-DERA.  Place  in  Yamato; 
one  of  the  thirty-three  places 
sacred  to  Kwannon,  203 

HAT  OF  INVISIBILITY.  Part  of 
cargo  of  the  Treasure  Ship,  1 1 5 

HATSUSHIMA  ISLAND.  Celebrated 
for  its  jonquils,  337  ;  Cho 
dwells  on,  337 

HAZOKU,  PRINCE.  Pays  homage 
to  demon  in  Ind,  97 

HEARN,  LAFCADIO.  Reference  to, 
as  an  authority  on  Japanese 
subjects,  v  ;  works  referred  to, 
vi  ;  subject  of  fox  in  Japan 
described  by,  94 ;  Jizo,  the 
God  of  the  Children,  and,  105  ; 
reference  to  the  Cave  of  the 
Children's  Ghosts  and  Jizo,  109 ; 
describes  peak  of  Mount  Fuji 
as  "  the  Supreme  Altar  of  the 
Sun,"  131  ;  his  narrative  illus- 
trating the  power  of  Karma, 


143  ;  his  story  of  a  Japanese 
nun  with  a  love  for  things  in 
miniature,  158,  159;  describes 
the  Lotus  of  Paradise,  169 ; 
Japanese  dolls  described  by, 
214 ;  the  suggestion  of,  re 
butterflies,  217  ;  the  Bon- 
odori,  reference  to,  by,  224 ; 
story  of  Japanese  semi  (tree- 
cricket)  in  Kotto,  281  ;  refer- 
ence to  Yuki-Daruma  in  A 
Japanese  Miscellany  by,  299  ; 
legends  of  the  Weird  adapted 
from  stories  by,  in  Kwaidan 
and  Glimpses  of  Unfamiliar 
Japan,  300 

HEAVEN.  Ladder  of,  23  ;  High 
Plain  of,  25  ;  River  of,  27  ; 
Hikoboshi's  ox  wanders  over 
High  Plain  of,  126 

HEAVEN  AND  EARTH.  Elements 
which  comprised,  2 1 

HEITARO.  A  farmer  who  married 
WiUow  Wife,  178-180 

HELL.  Kwannon's  concern  for 
who  pass  into,  told  by  Emma-O 
to  Tokudo  Shonin,  202 

Hi.  River  in  province  of  Idzumo ; 
Susa-no-o  arrives  at,  29 

HIDAKA.  A  river,  on  the  bank 
of  which  Kiyo  lived,  145 

HIDARI  JINGORO.  The  famous 
sculptor ;  legend  of,  reminds 
us  of  story  of  Pygmalion,  116  ; 
falls  in  love  with  a  beautiful 
woman,  190 

HIDESATO.  Variants :  Tawara 
Toda,  "  My  Lord  Bag  of  Rice  "  ; 
his  encounter  with  the  Dragon 
King  of  Lake  Biwa,  62-64 

HIEI,  MOUNT.  Yoshitsune  hears 
of  priest  Benkei  as  living  at, 
42 

HIGO  ("Willow").  Wife  of 
Heitaro,  177-180 

HIKOBOSHI.  Husband  of  Tana- 
bata,  126 

HINAKO  -  NAI  -  SHINNO.  The 
miraculous  chestnut  and  the 
Princess,  177 

HINOKAWA.  River  in  which 
Yamato  swims  with  Idzumo 
Takeru,  53 

411 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


HIROSHIGB.  Idea  for  one  of  his 
pictures  borrowed  from  the 
Heike  Monogatari,  1 1 9 

HITO  -  KOTO  -  KWANNON.  See 
Kwannon,  200 

HIZEN,  PRINCE  OF.  Story  of  his 
love  for  a  cat  in  form  of  a 
woman  named  O  Toyo,  265- 
268  ;  the  priest  Ruiten  prays 
for,  266 ;  Ito  Soda  discovers 
cause  of  illness  of,  266-269 

HODERI  ("Fire-shine").  Son  of 
Ninigi  and  Ko-no-Hana,  34 ; 
quarrels  with  his  brother  Hoori, 
35  ;  reconciled  to  his  brother, 

HOICHI-THE-EARLESS.  A  blind 
priest  who  lived  at  theAmidaji 
temple,  301  ;  his  recitals  in 
connection  with  the  war  be- 
tween the  Taira  and  Minamoto 
clans,  301  ;  unknowingly  visits 
tomb  of  Antoku  Tenno,  304  ; 
how  he  gained  his  name,  305 

HOJI.  Spirit  of  Death-Stone 
takes  form  of,  in  Great  Cathay, 

Hojo.  Kamakura,  the  seat  of 
Regents  of  family,  82 

"  HO-JO-KI."  F.  Victor  Dickins's 
translation  of,  v,  160,  385 

Hojo  TAKATOKI.  A  great  ruler, 
whom  Oribe  Shima  offends,  333 

Hojo  TOKIYORI.  Nichiren  exiled 
to  Ito  by,  241 

HOKKEJI.  Place  in  Harima ;  one 
of  the  thirty-three  places  sacred 
to  Kwannon,  204 

"  HOKKU."  See  Japanese  Poetry, 
380-386 

HOKUSAI.  A  famous  artist ;  and 
his  "  Hundred  Views  of  Fuji," 
117;  Eternity,  and  its  meaning 
to,  117 

HOLY  ONE,  THE.  Alternative 
title  for  the  Lord  Buddha,  80 

HOORI  ("Fire-fade").  Son  of  Nin- 
igi and  Ko-no-Hana,  34 ;  grand- 
father of  the  first  Mikado  of 
Japan,  34 ;  conveyed  to  the 
Palace  of  the  Sea  God  by 
Shiko-tsutsu  no  Oji  ("  Salt -sea- 
elder"),  35;  weds  Toyo-tama 

412 


("  Rich-jewel"),  daughter  of  the 
Sea  God,  36 ;  presented  with 
jewels  of  the  Flowing  Tide  and 
Ebbing  Tide,  36  ;  departs  from 
Sea  God's  Palace,  37 

HORAI.  Mountain ;  Kuramochi 
required  to  fare  to,  67  ;  the 
Jewel-bearing  Branch  of,  69,  70 

HORIO  YOSHIHARU.  Daimyo  of 
Izumo;  builds  bridge  over  river 
at  Matsue,  343 

HORSE.  The  Deity  of  Kitzuki 
(Oho  -  kuninushi)  and  the 
Bronze,  275 

HOTEL  One  of  the  Seven  Gods  of 
Good  Fortune,  115;  the  God 
of  Laughter  and  Contentment, 
211  ;  known  as  the  Waggon 
Priest,  &c.,  213 

HUCHI.  See  Fuji  and  Aino 
Goddess  of  Fire,  131 

HUNT,  ROYAL.  The  Mikado 
orders,  74  ;  the  Mikado  sur- 
prises Kaguya  by  means  of,  74 

"  HYAKU  -  NIN  -  ISSHIU  "  ("  Single 
Verses  by  a  Hundred  People  "). 
Written  before  the  time  of 
the  Norman  Conquest ;  see 
Japanese  Poetry,  382 


ICHI jo,  EMPEROR.  Stories  current 
in  Kyoto  regarding  the  Goblin 
of  Oyeyama  during  reign  of, 
44  ;  Raiko  despatched  by,  to 
seek  out  and  slay  the  Goblin, 

45 

IHA-NAGA.  Variant,  Princess 
Long-as -the -Rocks  ;  daughter 
of  Oho-yama,  34 

IIJIMA.  Father  of  Tsuyu  ("  Morn- 
ing Dew  "),  228 

IMA-GUMANO.  Place  at  Kyoto, 
in  Yamashiro;  one  of  the 
thirty-three  places  sacred  to 
Kwannon,  203 

IMPETUOUS  MALE.   See  Susa-no-o, 

23,  352 

'*  IN  "  AND  "  Yo."  Male  and 
female  principles,  not  yet 
divided,  21  ;  correspond  to 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


the  Chinese  Yang  and  Yin, 
21  ;  associated  with  thunder, 
according  to  Bakin,  252 

INABA.  Legend  of  the  White 
Hare  of,  256-260 

IN  ARI.  Originally  the  God  of  Rice, 
and  later  (eleventh  century) 
associated  with  the  Fox  God, 
93,  238  ;  answers  a  woman's 

Srayer,  101  ;  appears  to  Kobo 
aishi,  238,  239 

INCREASE,  THE  MONTH  OF.  Yayoi, 
the,  193 

IND.  Place  where  demon  re- 
ceived homage  of  Hazoku,  97 

INDIAN  Sraddha.  Corresponds 
to  Japanese  Festival  of  the 
Dead,  223,  224 

INEXHAUSTIBLE  PURSE.  Part  of 
the  cargo  of  the  Treasure  Ship, 
115,  116 

INFERNAL  REGIONS.  Kwanjin 
sent  to,  and  from,  the,  200 

INSECT -s.  Legends  re,  281-289  ; 
Buddhists  believe  that  soul 
of  a  man  or  woman  may  enter 
minute  form  of,  281  ;  Sane- 
mori,  a  rice-devouring,  284 ; 
the  shiwan  described,  284,  285 

INTELLIGENCES,  THE  EIGHT,  of 
Buddhism,  130 

IPPAI,  MURATA.  Unwittingly 
destroys  a  number  of  lotus 
and  commits  hara-kiri,  171 

ISABURO.  Kyuzaemon  visits, 
concerning  the  mysterious  ap- 
pearance of  Oyasu,  153 

ISE.  Prince  Yamato  prays  at 
shrine  of,  51  ;  the  Divine 
Mirror  into  which  the  Sun 
Goddess  gazes  reposes  at,  191  ; 
gigantic  fan  used  in  festival 
of ,  243  ;  infant  Emperor  Antoku 
Tenno  at  shrine  of,  300  ;  poem 
by,  384 

ISHIDOMARO.  Son  of  Kato 
Sayemon,  371-372 

ISHIYAMA-DERA.  Place  near  Otsu, 
in  Omi ;  one  of  the  thirty-three 
places  sacred  to  Kwannon,  203 

ISHIZUKURI,  PRINCE.  One  of 
Kaguya's  five  suitors,  66-72 

ISORA.      The  Spirit  of  the  Sea- 


shore ;    takes   Tide    Jewels  to 

Empress  Jingo  as  a  gift  from 

the  Dragon  King,  331 
ISSUNBOSHI(" One-Inch  Priest"). 

Otherwise    Little    Finger    and 

Grain-of -Corn, 364-367  ;  marries 

youngest    daughter    of    Prince 

Sanjo,  367 
ITSUKUSHIMA.     Shrine  on  Island 

of   Myajima,  227  ;    torii  called 

"  The  Footstool  of  the  King  " 

before,  227 
IUWAO,     EMPEROR.        Spirit    of 

Death-Stone    the    consort    of, 

in  Great  Cathay,  97 
IWAMA-DERA.    Place  in  Omi ;  one 

of  the  thirty -three  places  sacred 

to  Kwannon,  203 
IWAZARU.   The  three  mystic  Apes 

which  figure  in  Japanese  legend 

are  Mizaru,  Kikazaru,  and,  272 

IZANAGI  AND  IZANAMI  ("Male-wtlO- 

invites"  and  "  Female-who-in- 
vites").  Two  important  deities, 
21  ;  island  of  Onogoro-jima 
formed  by  spear  of ,  22  ;  though 
related  as  brother  and  sister, 
desire  to  become  husband  and 
wife,  22  ;  their  marriage,  22  ; 
marriage  produces  islands,  seas, 
rivers,  herbs,  and  trees,  22  ; 
desire  to  produce  a  Lord  of  the 
Universe,  22  ;  the  wish  ful- 
filled in  birth  of  Ama-terasu, 
the  Sun  Goddess,  23  ;  send 
Ama-terasu  up  Ladder  of 
Heaven,  23  ;  parents  of  Tsuki- 
yumi,  the  Moon  God,  who  is 
sent  up  Ladder  of  Heaven  to  be 
consort  of  Ama-terasu,  23 ;  Susa- 
no-o  ("  The  Impetuous  Male  "), 
son  of,  23  ;  Kagu-tsuchi,  the 
Fire  God,  born  to,  23  ;  Izanami 
creeps  into  the  Land  of  Yomi 
(Hades),  23  ;  Izanagi  follows 
his  wife  into  Land  of  Yomi 
(Hades),  23 ;  Izanami  angry 
with  Izanagi  for  putting  her 
to  shame,  24  ;  Izanagi  escapes 
from  the  Underworld,  24 ; 
pursuit  by  the  Eight  Ugly 
Females,  24 ;  he  reaches  the 
Even  Pass  of  Yomi,  24 ;  is 

4'3 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


divorced  from  Izanami,  24  ; 
builds  himself  a  perpetual  home 
in  island  of  Ahaji,  25  ;  wag- 
tails sacred  to,  276 

IZUMI.  Place  from  which  Chinu 
came,  313 

IZUMO.  Queer  custom  in,  asso- 
ciated with  Jizo,  105,  106  ; 
assembly  of  Gods  in  October 
in  temple  at,  225  ;  the  Kappa 
referred  to  as  Kawako  by 
people  of  village  of,  350 


J 


JAPAN.  Equivalent,  "  Land  of 
the  Rising  Sun,"  xi ;  reference 
to  her  victory  over  Russia,  xi  ; 
evolution  of,  how  wrought, 
xii  ;  first  inhabitants  of,  xiii  ; 
Ainu,  Mongol,  and  Malay  ele- 
ments formed  one  nation  by 
A.D.  500,  xiii ;  national  cha- 
racteristics of,  xiii ;  called 
Jih-pen  by  Chinese,  xiv ; 
general  equivalents,  xiv  ;  Kama- 
Yamato  -  Iware  -  Biko  first 
human  Emperor  of,  37  ; 
Buddhism  in,  India  and  China 
borrowed  from,  in  regard  to 
religious  teaching,  80 ;  the 
Bronze  Buddha  of  Kamakura 
one  of  the  sights  of,  82  ; 
legends  of  fox  in,  93  ;  Ancient 
Cavern  in,  in  which  image  of 
Jizo  is  seen,  109  ;  art  of,  owed 
to  Buddhism,  114;  Buddha's 
teaching  gave  art  of  garden- 
ing to,  114  ;  art,  quickened  by 
Chinese  influence,  114;  happy 
in  naming  chrysanthemums, 
163;  Ama-no-Hashidate,  one  of 
the  "  Three  Great  Sights  "  of, 
204  ;  butterfly  connected  with 
folklore  in,  216;  legend  re 
invasion  by  Mongols  of,  250  ; 
Thunder  Animal  of,  251  ;  tea- 
drinking  in  England  and,  con- 
trasted, 290,  291  ;  orange  first 
brought  from  the  "Evergreen 
Land  "  to,  324  ;  cause  of  be- 
coming a  world-Power,  329 ;  her 


influence  on  Korea  when  Russia 
established  a  military  outpost 
at  Wiju,  329  ;  Korea  a  colony 
of,  329 ;  Dragon  of,  362 

JAPANESE.  Character  not  Western, 
xii  ;  patriotism,  source  of,  xii  ; 
art  and  religion  influenced 
by  Buddhism,  xii  ;  influence 
of  Shintoism  on,  xii ;  theories 
regarding  racial  origin  of 
people,  xiii  ;  superstition  re- 
garding the  Kappa  (river 
monster),  xiv ;  divinities  and 
heroes,  general  reference  to, 
xvi-xx  ;  art,  described  by  Sir 
Alfred  East,  112;  artists, 
work  of,  considered,  112  ;  art, 
the  face  in,  113;  artist,  Seven 
Gods  of  Good  Fortune  favourite 
theme  of,  115;  Festival  of 
Tanabata,  126;  bells,  general 
description  of,  140  ;  woman, 
cherry  and  plum  blossoms 
associated  with  beauty  and 
virtue  of,  174 ;  mirrors,  sig- 
nificance of,  190-198  ;  English 
dolls  compared  with,  214-216  ; 
fan,  significance  of,  243  ;  origin 
of  name  kanamk,  applied  to 
fans,  244  ;  cat,  how  regarded, 
264-268  ;  art,  sennin  in,  357  ; 
poetry,  note  on,  380-386 

"  JAPANESE  LITERATURE,  A  HIS- 
TORY OF."  Reference  to,  v 

JEWEL-S.  Precious,  28  ;  the 
Tide-flowing  and  the  Tide- 
ebbing,  36  ;  the  Jewel-bearing 
Branch  of  Mount  Horai,  69-70 ; 
the  Jewel  in  the  Dragon's  Head, 
71-73  ;  the  Flood-Tide  and  the 
Ebb-Tide,  given  by  Dragon 
King  to  Empress  Jingo,  331  ; 
the  Jewel-tears  of  Samebito, 

3/6-379 
JEWEL  MAIDEN.  The  story  of,  95- 

98 
JIH-PEN.     Chinese  equivalent  for 

Japan,  xiv 
JIMMU  TENNO.     Variant,  Kamu- 

Yamato  -  Iware  -  Biko;    first 

human  Emperor  of  Japan,  37 
JIMPACHI.      Kanshiro   and,   287- 

289 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


JINGO,  THE  EMPRESS.  Professor 
J.  H.  Longford  writes  ve,  329  ; 
legend  of  first  Japanese  invasion 
of  Korea  by,  330-333  ;  birth 
of  her  son  Ojin,  333  ;  old 
couple's  prayer  for  a  child 
offered  to,  364 

Jizo.  The  God  of  Children,  94, 
104  ;  compared  to  Kwannon, 
Goddess  of  Mercy,  104 ;  the 
creation  of  Japanese  mothers, 
104 ;  little  children  play  in 
the  Sai-no-Kawara  ("Dry  Bed 
of  the  River  of  Souls")  with, 
106 ;  hymn  of,  107,  108  ; 
Cave  of  the  Children's  Ghosts 
and,  109;  Fountain  of,  no; 
Soga  Sadayoshi  remembered 
by,  no,  in;  picture  of, 
contrasted  with  pictorial  re- 
presentation of  a  Japanese 
goblin,  114,  115 

JOFUKU.  Attempts  to  wrest  the 
secret  of  perpetual  life  from 
Mount  Fuji,  133  ;  Shikaiya 
Wasobioye  meets,  375 

JOSHI.  Term  applied  to  lovers' 
suicide  —  variants,  "  love- 
death  "  or  "  passion-death," 
144 

JUROJIN.  One  of  the  Seven 
Gods  of  Good  Fortune,  115 


K 


KAIBARA.  Treatise  by,  known 
as  Onna  Daigaku,  113 

KADZUSA,  STRAITS  OF.  Princess 
Ototachibana  drowned  in  cross- 
ing, 56 

KADZUTOYO.  Story  of  the  badger 
and,  260-262 

KAGU-TSUCHI.  The  Fire  God, 
child  of  Izanagi  and  Izanami, 

23 

KAGUYA,  LADY  ("Precious-Slen- 
der-Bamboo -  of-  the  -  Field  -  of  - 
Autumn").  Discovered  and 
reared  by  Sanugi  no  Miyakko, 
65  ;  Prince  Ishizukuri,  Prince 
Kuramochi,  the  Sadaijin  Dai- 
nagon  Abe  no  Miushi,  the 


Chiunagon  Otomo  no  Miyuki, 
and  Morotada,  the  Lord  of 
Iso,  suitors  of,  66-72  ;  her 
plan  to  test  the  five  suitors, 
67  ;  fame  of,  reaches  the 
Mikado,  who  sends  Fusago  to, 
73  ;  Moonland  Capital  the 
birthplace  of,  75  ;  departs  to 
Moonland,  79 

KAMAKURA.  The  one-time  capi- 
tal of  Nippon,  82  ;  seat  of 
the  Shoguns,  82  ;  the  Bronze 
Buddha  of,  and  the  Whale, 
82-86 ;  city  of,  laid  out  by 
General  Yoritomo,  83  ;  the 
bell  of  Enkakuji  the  largest  in, 
140 

KAMATARI.  A  State  Minister  of 
Japan ;  father  of  Kohaku  Jo, 
86 

KAMI  DAIGO-DERA.  Place  at 
Uji,  in  Yamashiro ;  one  of  the 
thirty-three  places  sacred  to 
Kwannon,  203 

KAMINARI.  Thunder  Woman, 
252 

KAMISHAMA.  One  of  the  Old 
Islands,  to  which  Oribe  Shirna 
is  banished,  333 

KAMO,  LADY.  The  Soul  of  the 
Mirror  (Yayoi)  falls  into  pos- 
session of,  194 

KAMO  NO  CHOMEI.  A  Buddhist 
recluse  of  twelfth  century  ;  his 
book  called  Ho-fo-ki  shows 
him  a  great  Nature-lover,  160 

KAMO  YAMAKIKO.  A  magician, 
consulted  by  Yosoji,  134 

KAMU  -  YAMATO  -  IWARE  -  BIKO. 
Descendant  of  Hoori  ;  present 
equivalent,  Jimmu  Tenno  ; 
first  human  Emperor  of  Japan, 

37 
KANAGAWA.       Urashima's    tomb 

still  shown  in  a  temple  in,  328 
KANASOKA.        A    great    artist ; 

legend  re  the  painted  horse  of, 

116 

KANO  HOGAI.  Embroidery  de- 
picting Kwannon  as  the  Divine 

Mother  by,  201 
KANSHIRO.      The    vengeance   of, 

287-289 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


KANSUKB.     Father  of  Matakichi, 

340 
KANTAN'S  PILLOW.     Rosei  rests 

upon,  121 
KAPPA,   THE.      A   river  goblin ; 

description  of,  350;    people  in 

village   of    Izumo    refer   to   as 

Kawako    ("The    Child    of    the 

River  "),  350  ;   the  story  of  the 

promise  of,  351 
KARMA.   The  power  of,  one  of  the 

great  Buddhist  doctrines,  143  ; 

signifies   the   desire   to   be — in 

contrast  to  Nirvana,  the  desire 

not  to  be,   144  ;    reference  to, 

in     the     Ratana     Sutra,     145  ; 

Kiyo  and  the  power  of,   145- 

148  ;    power  of,  illustrated  by 

story  of  Tsuyu,  228,  233 
KASHIMA.       Origin    of    kaname, 

name  applied  to  Japanese  fans, 

and,  244 
KATSUO-DERA.     Place  in  Settsu; 

one  of  the  thirty-three  places 

sacred  to  Kwannon,  204 
KATSUSHIKA,    THE  MAIDEN    OF. 

Ballad  of,  316,  317 
KAWACHI.     River,  near  which  is 

the  temple  known  as  Kawako  - 

no-miya,  350 
KAWACHI-MURA.       Hamlet    near 

Matsue,  350 
KAWAKO    ("The    Child    of    the 

River").     See  Kappa,  350 
KAWAKO-NO-MIYA.      The  temple 

of  the  Kawako,  or  Kappa,  350 
KEN-CHO-JI.      Visit     of     Soga 

Sadayoshi  to  temple  of,  no 
KENKO    H6sni.    Another  legend 

of  Raiko  and  the   Goblin  by, 

49-51 
KIKAZARU.  The  three  mystic  Apes 

which  figure  in  Japanese  legend 

are  Mizaru,  Iwazaru,  and,  272 
KIKU  ("Chrysanthemum").    Sa- 

wara  weds,  124  ;   Sawara  sends 

back  to  her  parents,  125 
KIKUO  ("  Chrysanthemum  -  Old  - 

Man").    Retainer  of  Tsugaru; 

story  of,  165-167 
KIMI.        Story    of    her    faithless 

behaviour    toward     Kurosuke, 

181 


KIMII-DERA.  Place  near  Waka- 
yama,  in  Kishu ;  one  of  the 
thirty-three  places  sacred  to 
Kwannon,  203 

KIMITAKA.  The  Goblin  of  Oye 
snatches  away,  45 

KI-NO-O-BAKE.    A  true  spirit,  176 

KINTARO.  Otherwise  the  Golden 
Boy,  367-369  ;  named  Sakata 
Kurando  by  Yorimitsu,368,  369 

KISHIWADA,  THE  LORD  OF.  Sends 
Sonobe  to  great  cryptomeria- 
tree  on  Oki-yama,  181,  182 

KITZUKI.  The  Deity  of  (Oho- 
kuninushi),  and  the  Bronze 
Horse,  275  ;  the  Deity  of, 
spends  much  time  catching 
'birds  and  fish,  277 

KIUCHI  HEIZAYEMON.  Adven- 
tures of,  which  illustrate  the 
Tengu-kakushi,  3  5  3-35  5 

KIYO.  The  fairest  girl  in  the 
tea-house  near  the  Dragon's 
Claw  hill,  145  ;  her  love  for 
a  Buddhist  priest  and  its  fatal 
ending,  145-148 

KIYOMIZU-DERA.  Place  at  Kyoto  ; 
one  of  the  thirty-three  places 
sacred  to  Kwannon,  203 

KIYOMORI.  Leader  of  the  Taira 
clan,  41  ;  Tokiwa,  widow  of 
Yoshitomo,  weds,  41 

K6B6  DAISHI  ("  Glory  to  the 
Great  Teacher").  The  most 
famous  of  Japanese  Buddhist 
saints,  234 ;  Kukai  name 
when  living  ;  Kobo  Daishi  a 
posthumous  title,  234  ;  founded 
Buddhist  sect  called  the  Shin- 
gon-shu,  234 ;  named  by 
Chinese  Emperor  as  Gohitsu- 
Osho  ("  The  Priest  who  writes 
with  Five  Brushes"),  236; 
Monju  Bosatsu,  the  Lord  of 
Wisdom,  and,  237;  paints 
the  ten  by  flinging  his  brush, 

237  ;    work  ridiculed  by  Kino 
Momoye    and    Onomo    Toku, 
237,  238  ;  his  voyage  to  Japan, 

238  ;    Inari,  the  God  of  Rice, 
and,     238,     239 ;      his    death, 

239  ;  temple  at  Kawasaki  dedi- 
cated to,  239 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


KOBORI  -  ENSHIU.  The  great 
Japanese  designer  of  gardens, 
156 

Kocnd.  Reference  to  the  play 
called  The  Flying  Hairpin  of 
Kocho,  218 

KODO.  Place  at  Kyoto;  one  of 
the  thirty-three  places  sacred 
to  Kwannon,  204 

KOFUKUJI,  TEMPLE  OF,  87-89 

KOHAKU  Jo.  Daughter  of  Karna- 
tari,  86 ;  Emperor  of  China 
hears  of  beauty  of,  86  ;  Em- 
peror of  China  wooes,  86 ; 
sails  for  China,  87  ;  weds 
Emperor  of  China,  87,  88  ; 
sends  treasures  to  temple  of 
Kofukuji,  89 

KOJIKI.  "  Records  of  Ancient 
Matters  "  completed  A.D.  712, 
what  it  deals  with,  &c.,  xv  ; 
told  in,  that  Izanagi  presented 
mirrors  to  his  children,  191 

KOJIN,  THE  GOD.  Spirit  of, 
resides  in  the  enoki  tree  ;  the 
God  to  whom  very  old  dolls 
are  dedicated,  176,  177,  216 

KOKAWA-DERA.  Place  in  Kishu  ; 
one  of  the  thirty-three  places 
sacred  to  Kwannon,  203 

KOMAGAWA  MIYAGI.  _A  retainer 
of  one  of  the  daimyos  ;  his  love 
for  Miyuki,  245-249 

KOMPIRA.  Originally  an  Indian 
God,  identified  with  Susa-no-o ; 
the  shrine  of,  visited  by  Kiyo, 

KO  -  NO  -  HANA  -  SAKU  -  YA  -  HIME. 

"  The  Princess  who  makes  the 
Flowers  of  the  Trees  to  Blos- 
som "  ;  daughter  of  Oho-yama, 
34  ;  weds  Ninigi,  34  ;  mother 
of  Hoderi  and  Hoori,  34  ;  see 
Sengen,  132 

KOREA.  Reference  to  legendary 
conquest  of,  282  ;  Chosen,  the 
Land  of  the  Morning  Calm, 
the  old  name  for,  328;  troubled 
with  armies  of  China  and  Japan, 
328  ;  under  glamour  of  Chinese 
civilisation,  329 ;  becomes  a 
Japanese  colony,  329  ;  legend 
of  first  invasion  of,  by  Japan, 


329-333  ;  King  of,  surrenders 
to  Empress  Jingo,  332 

"  KOREAN  TOWERS."  Lamps  in 
Japanese  gardens  sometimes 
still  known  as,  157 

KORINJI.  Kimi  prayed  for  by 
priests  of  temple,  125 

KORIYAMA,  THE  LORD.  Idzumi, 
place  where  lived,  170 ;  he 
and  his  wife  and  child  stricken 
down  with  a  strange  malady, 
170;  restored  by  planting 
lotus  about  his  castle,  170,  171 

KOSHIN.  The  God  of  Roads,  176 

Koso.  Emperor  of  China  ;  wooes 
and  weds  Kohaku  Jo,  86-88 

KOYURI.   Son  of  Yurine,  359 

KUMASO.  Brigand,  slain  by 
Yamato,  52 

KUME.  One  of  the  sennin,  who 
falls  from  his  chariot  of  cloud, 
depicted  in  Japanese  art,  357 

KUNI-TOKO-TACHI.  A  Japanese 
God;  origin  of,  21 

KURAMOCHI,  PRINCB.  One  of 
Kaguya's  five  suitors,  46-72 

KURANDO,  SAKATA.  An  officer  of 
the  Emperor's  bodyguard,  367  ; 
falls  in  love  with  Yaegiri,  367  ; 
see  Kintaro,  368 

KUROSUKE.  Story  how  he  was 
forsaken  by  Kimi,  181 

KUSHI-NADA-HIME  ("  Wondrous- 
Inada-Princess ' ' ).  Daughter  of 
Ashi-nadzuchi  and  Te-nadzuchi, 
29 ;  wooed  and  wedded  by 
Susa-no-o,  29,  30 

KWANJIN.  Chinese  equivalent 
for  Kwannon,  200 

KWANNON.  The  Goddess  of 
Mercy  ;  two  of  Raiko's  intend- 
ing companions  visit  shrine  of, 
45  ;  ex-Emperor  Toba  desires 
to  build  a  temple  to,  179 ; 
resemblance  to  JizS,  199 ; 
sometimes  depicted  as  Senjiu- 
Kwannon,  or  Kwannon-of-the- 
Thousand  -  Hands,  199  ;  de- 
scription of  Jiu  -  ichi  -  men  - 
Kwannon  (the  Kwannon-of- 
the-Eleven-Faces),  199 ;  the 
tiara  of,  sometimes  takes  title 
of  Bato" -Kwannon  (Kwannon- 
>  417 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


with  -  the  -  Horse's  -  Head), 
199  ;  Bato  -  Kwannon,  the 
Goddess  who  protects  dumb 
animals,  200  ;  *l  (Hito  -  Koto  - 
Kwannon,  the  Kwannon  who 
will  only  answer  one  prayer, 
200 ;  the  Gods  of  Love  and 
Wisdom  are  frequently  repre- 
sented in  conjunction  with, 
200 ;  not  inappropriately 
called  the  Japanese  Madonna, 
200 ;  known  in  Chinese  myth  as 
Kwanjin,  200;  is  the  spiritual 
son  of  Amitabha,  in  China,  200 ; 
Chujo  Hime,  a  Buddhist  nun, 
an  incarnation  of,  201  ;  as  the 
Divine  Mother,  201  ;  thirty- 
three  shrines  sacred  to  Kwan- 
non, 201-204 ;  "the  Lady  of 
Mercy,  202  ;  the  Goddess  of 
Mercy,  203  ;  copper  image  of, 
in  temple  of  Ni-gwarsu-do,  204  ; 
sacrifice  of,  in  form  of  a  deer, 
on  behalf  of  Saion  Zenji,  204- 
206 ;  Princess  Sanjo  visits 
temple  of,  365 

KWANNONJI.  Place  in  Omi;  one 
of  the  thirty-three  places  sacred 
to  Kwannon,  204 

KYOTO.  Stories  current  in,  re- 
garding the  Goblin  of  Oyeyama, 
44  ;  Matsumura  journeys  to, 
191  ;  thirty -three  shrines  sacred 
to  Kwannon  in,  201 

KYU  -  KUKEDO  -  SAN.  An 
Ancient  Cavern  in  Japan  asso- 
ciated with  Jizo,  109 

KYUZAEMON.  The  Lady  of  the 
Snow  and,  152,  153 


LADDER  OF  HEAVEN.  Ama-terasu, 
the  Sun  Goddess,  climbs  the, 
23  ;  Tsuki-yumi,  the  Moon 
God,  also  climbs  the,  23 

LADY  OF  MERCY.  Kwannon  called 
the,  202 

LAND  OF  ENDLESS  PLENTY. 
Shikaiya  Wasobioye  visits  the, 
375 

418 


"  LAND,  THE  EVERGREEN."  Ap- 
pears in  the  Japanese  ballad 
"  The  Fisher  Boy  Urashima  " 
as  the  Dragon  Palace,  324 

LAND  OF  THE  FOLLOWERS  OF 
THE  ANTIQUE.  Shikaiya  Waso- 
bioye visits  the,  375 

LAND  OF  GIANTS.  Shikaiya 
Wasobioye  visits  the,  375 

LAND  OF  THE  MORNING  CALM. 
Chosen,  the  old  name  for 
Korea,  328 

LAND  OF  PARADOXES.  Shikaiya 
Wasobioye  visits  the,  375 

LAND  OF  PERFECT  HAPPINESS. 
The  infant  Emperor,  Antoku 
Tenno,  taken  to,  300 

LAND  OF  SHAMS.  Shikaiya 
Wasobioye  visits  the,  375 

LAUGHTER,  GOD  OF.  See  Hotei, 
211-213 

LEGEND-S.  Butterfly,  2  6-219  ; 
from  The  Diary  of  a  Con- 
volvulus, 244-249 ;  Thunder, 
250-254  ;  of  Magical  Animals 
255-275;  the  Kojiki  ("The 
White  Hare  of  Inaba"),  255- 
260 ;  the  three  mystic  Apes 
figure  in,  272  ;  birds  in,  276- 
281 ;  of  dragon-flies,  282  ;  of  fire 
flies,  285-289 ;  of  the  tea-plant, 
297-299  ;  of  the  Weird,  300- 
304  ;  of  the  sea,  323-341  ;  of 
Urashima,  323 ;  Japanese  super- 
stitions the  source  of,  342  ;  of 
the  sea  monster  Shojd,  359- 
360  ;  miscellaneous,  370-379 

LIGHTNING, THE  GODDESS  OF,  251 

LIGHTS,  MIRACULOUS.  Varieties 
in  Japan,  357,  358 

LIU-KIU  ISLANDS.  Chinese  equi- 
valent for  Japanese  Luchu 
Islands,  324 

LONG-AS-THE-ROCKS,       PRINCESS. 

Variant  for  Iha-naga,  34 
LONGFORD,    JOSEPH   H.      Refer- 
ence  to    The   Story   of  Korea, 
by,  328,  329 

LOTUS,  THE  GOLDEN.  Legend  of, 
80-82  ;  the  sacred  flower  of 
Buddhism,  169 

v  LOTUS  OF  THE  LAW."  Y6shS 
studies,  356 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


LOVE.  Maiden  imposes  test  of, 
as  a  corpse -eater,  311,  312; 
poems,  see  Japanese  Poetry, 
380-386  ;  the  Goddess  of, 
206 

LUCHU  ISLANDS.  The  Japanese 
pronunciation  for  the,  324  ; 
Chinese  equivalent,  Liu-kiu, 

324 

LUCK,  SEVEN  DIVINITIES  OF. 
Benten  one  of  the,  206 ; 
variants,  the  Goddess  of  the 
Sea,  of  Love,  of  Beauty,  of 
Eloquence,  206 ;  charms  to 
represent,  348 

LUCKY  RAIN -co  AT.  Part  of  cargo 
of  the  Treasure  Ship,  1 1 5 

LUWUH.  The  first  Chinese  tea- 
master,  292  ;  his  Chaking  ("  The 
Holy  Scripture  of  Tea"),  292  ; 
sought  after  by  Emperor  Tai- 
sung,  293 


M 


MADONNA,  THE  JAPANESE.  The 
Goddess  of  Mercy  not  in- 
appropriately called,  200 

"MAIDEN'S  GRAVE, THE."  Burial- 
place  of  the  Maiden  of  Unai, 

3*4 

MAIDEN  OF  KATSUSHIKA,  THE. 
The  tale  of,  as  translated  by 
Professor  B.  H.  Chamberlain, 
3J6,  317 

MAIDEN  OF  UNAI,  THE.  And  her 
lovers,  3 1 3-3 1 6  ;  the  grave  of, 
315.  3i6 

MAIDEN  WITH  THE  WOODEN 
BOWL.  The  strange  story  of, 
317-322 

MAKI.  Moor  to  which  Tokutaro 
was  challenged  to  go,  98 

MAKI  HIOGO.  Attempts  to  cap- 
ture the  Spirit  of  the  Peony, 
172,  173 

MALAY  ELEMENTS.  Their  con- 
tribution to  Japanese  charac- 
teristics, xiii 

MAMIKIKO.  Neighbour  of  Yuri ne; 
his  unkindness  to  Koyuri,  360- 
362 


"MASTER  SINGERS  OF  JAPAN." 
Miss  Clara  A.  Walsh's  reference 
to,  v 

MASON,  W.  B.  Reference  to 
temple  at  Kawasaki  sacred  to 
Kobo  Daishi,  in  Murray's  Hand- 
book/or Japan,  by,  239 

MATAKICHI.   Son  of  Kansuke,  340 

MATSU.    Shinge's  maid,  167 

MATSUE.  I.  Daughter  of  a 
fisherman  at  Takasago,  187  ; 
rescues  Teoyo,  their  love,  188, 
189.  II.  Bridge.  Sacrifices 
associated  with,  343,  344 ;  Horio 
Yoshiharu  and,  343.  Ill:  The 
Bronze  Deer  of,  275 

MATSUMURA.  A  Shinto  priest  in 
charge  of  shrine  of  Ogawachi- 
Myojin,  191 ;  journey  to  Kyoto 
to  appeal  to  Shogun,  191  ; 
his  strange  sight  of  a  beautiful 
woman's  face  in  a  well,  192  ; 
the  Poison  Dragon  and,  193  ; 
the  Soul  of  the  Mirror  and, 
193-196 

MATSUNOO-DERA.  Place  in  Wa- 
kasa;  one  of  the  thirty-three 
places  sacred  to  Kwannon,  204 

MATSUYAMA,  THE  MIRROR  OF, 
196-198 

MERCY,  GODDESS  OF.  Kwannon, 
the  ;  compared  to  Jizo,  104 

MICHIMASA.  An  eleventh-century 
official;  tanka  by,  quoted,  383  ; 
addressed  tanka  to  the  Princess 
Masako,  383 

MIIDERA.  I.  The  Bell  of,  141-143. 
II.  Place  near  Otsu,  in  Omi ; 
one  of  the  thirty-three  places 
sacred  to  Kwannon,  203 

MIDZUNOE.  Village  in  province 
of  Tango,  in  which  Urashima 
lived,  324 

MIMUROTO-DERA.  Place  at  Uji,  in 
Yamashiro;  one  of  the  thirty- 
three  places  sacred  to  Kwannon, 
203 

MINAMOTO  CLAN.  Reference  to 
great  sea-fight  between  Taira 
clan  and,  300 

MINE.   Wife  of  Tomozo,  233 

MINOKICHI.  Loved  by  the  Lady 
of  the  Snow,  150-151 

419 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


Mio.  Shore  of,  on  which  the 
Moon  Lady's  Robe  of  Feathers 
is  found  by  Hairukoo,  128 

MIONOSEKI.  The  God  of,  is  the 
God  of  Mariners,  276  ;  detests 
cocks  and  hens,  276 

MIRRORS.  Significance  of  Japan- 
ese, 190-198  ;  the  Divine,  into 
which  Sun  Goddess  gazes,  re- 
poses at  Ise,  191  ;  the  soul  of 
the,  193  ;  old  bronze  mirrors 
contributed  to  form  a  bell, 
195  ;  the  mirror  of  Matsu- 
yama,  196-198 

MITFORD,  A.  B.  (Lord  Redes- 
dale).  Reference  to  his  Tales 
of  Old  Japan,  98,  161 

MIUSHI.  The  Sadaijin  Dainagon 
Abe  no,  one  of  Kaguya's  five 
suitors,  66-70 

MIWA  DAIMYOJIN.  Japanese  God, 
in  connection  with  whom  the 
Laughing  Festival  originated, 
225 

MIYADZU,  PRINCESS.  Prince 
Yamato  meets  and  weds,  55 

MIYUKI.  The  Chiunagon  Otomo 
no,  one  of  Kaguya's  five  suitors, 
66-70 

MIZARU.  The  three  mystic  Apes 
in  Japanese  legend  are  Kika- 
zaru,  Iwazaru,  and,  272 

MOCHIDA-NO-URA.  Peasant  of 
village  of ,  who  flung  his  children 
into  a  river,  311 

MOMOTARO  (" Son  of  a  Peach"). 
His  romantic  discovery,  58  ; 
his  adventures  in  the  North- 
Eastern  Sea,  59-62 

MOMOYE,  KINO.  Kobo  Daishi's 
work  ridiculed  by,  237-238 

MONGOL-S.  Elements,  their  con- 
tribution to  Japanese  cha- 
racteristics, xiii ;  legend  re 
invasion  of  Japan  by,  250 

MONJU  BOSATSU.  The  Lord  of 
Wisdom  ;  Kobo  Daishi  and,  237 

MOON.  Belief  of  Japanese  peasants 
re  the  Hare  in  the,  162 

MOONFOLK.  The  Lady  Kaguya 
and,  75-79 

MOON  GOD.  Tsuki-yumi,  son  of 
Izanagi  and  Izanami,  the,  23 

420 


MOON  LADY,  THE.      The  fisher- 
man finds  Robe  of  Feathers  of, 

128,  129 
MOONLAND.        The     capital     of, 

the  birthplace  of  Kaguya,  75  ; 

Lady  Kaguya  departs  to,  79 
MOON,    PALACE    OF    THE.       The 

dance  that  makes,  turn  round, 

128 
MORNING  CALM,  THE   LAND  OF 

THE.  Otherwise  Chosen,  the  old 

name  for  Korea,  328 
MORRIS,  WILLIAM.  Story  of  "  The 

Robe  of  Feathers  "   resembles 

Norse    legend — see    The    Land 

East  of  the  Sun  and  West  of  the 

Moon,  127 
MOROKOSHI,     THE     LAND     OF. 

Miushi  required  to  fare  to,  67 
MOROTADA.      The    Lord  of    Iso ; 

one  of   Kaguya's  five  suitors, 

66-70 
MOSAKU.    His  death  by  the  Lady 

of  the  Snow,  1 50 
MOTHER,  THE  GHOST,  308 
MOUNTAIN.        I.    Woman,    355. 

II.  Man,  355 
MOUNTAIN   SPIDER.     See   Goblin 

Spider 
MOUNTAIN,  THE  CRACKLING.  The 

story  of  the  hare  and  badger  on, 

258-260 
MOUNTAIN,  THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE, 

33° 
MUBARA.    One  of  the  Maiden  of 

Unai's  lovers,  313-316 
MUD,  SEA  OF.  Visited  by  Shikaiya 

Wasobioye,  375 
MUGENYAMA.       The    priests    of, 

require  a  bell,  194  ;   one  mirror 

used  in  making  bell  of,  refuses 

to  melt,  195 

MURAKUMO  -  NO  -  TSURUGI.  A 

divine    sword,    discovered    by 

Susa-no-o   and   given   by   him 

to   the   Gods   of   Heaven,    30  ; 

sword  of,  given  to  Yamato,  54 
MUSHIMARO.    A  poet,  who  wrote 

re  the  lovers  of  the  Maiden  of 

Unai,  313 
Muso  KOKUSHI.     A  priest ;    his 

gruesome  experience  with  the 

corpse-eater,  305-308 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


MYOKEI.  A  celebrated  painter 
under  whom  Sawara  studies, 
122 

MYTHOLOGY.  The  Dragon  inti- 
mately associated  with  Japan- 
ese, 362  ;  the  Dragon  in  Chinese 
and  Japanese,  363 


N 


NAIZEN-NO-JO,  THE  LORD.  Father 
of  the  Princess  Aya,  172,  173 

NAKAYAMA-DERA.  Place  near 
Kobe,  in  Settsu ;  one  of  the 
thirty-three  places  sacred  to 
Kwannon,  204 

"  NAMUDAISHI."  A  Japanese 
poem  describing  life  of  famous 
saint  Kobo  Daishi,  234 

NANAO.  Fishing  village,  de- 
stroyed by  earthquake,  339  ; 
experience  of  Kansuke  and  his 
son  Matakichi  while  fishing 
near,  340,  341 

NAN-ENDO.  Place  at  Nara,  in 
Yamato;  one  of  the  thirty- 
three  places  sacred  to  Kwannon, 
203 

NAREAI-JI.  Place  in  Tango ;  one 
of  the  thirty-three  places  sacred 
to  Kwannon,  204 

NARIAI,  MOUNT.  Saion  Zenji  and 
Kwannon  on,  204-206 

NARUSE  TSUSHIMANOKAMI.  An 
official  who  considers  the  sword 
secured  by  Sankichi  a  sacred 
treasure,  337 

NASU.   Genno  arrives  at  moor  of, 

95 
NASU  NO  YOICHI.  A  fan,  the  mark 

of  bow  of,  243 
NATIONAL      ANTHEM.        English 

and  Japanese    compared,  384  ; 

Japanese,  based  on  an  ancient 

song  mentioned  in  the   Kokin- 

shiu,  384 
NATURE.        Japanese    love    for, 

1 60,     161  ;      Japanese    poetry 

and,  380-386 

NETHER  WORLD.    See  Yomi 
NEW  YEAR.     Pine-tree  and   the 

Festival  of  the,  176  ;   Daikoku 


and  origin  of  charm  connected 
with,  212  ;  quaint  observances 
at  Festival  of,  220,  221 
NICHIREN.  The  founder  of  the 
Buddhist  sect  of  that  name, 
240 ;  name  of,  means  Sun 
Lotus,  240 ;  his  efforts  to 
restore  Buddhism  to  its  old 

furity,     240,    241  ;      exiled   to 
to   for  thirty  years   by   Ho  jo 
Tokiyori,  241  ;  his  escape  from 
execution,    241  ;    again   exiled, 
and  dwells  on  Mount  Minobu, 

241  ;    attempts  to  replace  the 
ordinary  mantra,  241  ;      wrote 
"  Book     to     Tranquillise     the 
Country,"  241 

NI-GWARSU-DS  ("  Hall  of  the 
Second  Moon  ").  The  Buddhist 
temple  of,  204  ;  small  copper 
image  of  Kwannon  in  temple 
of,  204 

"  NIHONGI"  ("Chronicles  of 
Japan  ").  Written  in  Chinese 
and  completed  A.D.  720,  and 
deals  with  the  myths,  legends, 
&c.,  from  early  times  to  A.D. 
697,  xv ;  male  and  female 
principles,  reference  to,  in,  21 

NIIDONO.  Takes  infant  Emperor, 
Antoku  Tenno,  to  the  Pure 
Land  of  Perfect  Happiness,  300 

NIKKO.  First  Buddhist  temple 
at,  founded  by  Shodo  Shonin, 

242  ;  notice  to  Tengu  and  other 
demons  prior  to  visit  of  Yedo 
Shogun  to,  355 

NIKOBO.  A  priest,  famous  for 
powers  to  exorcise  evil  spirits, 
357, 358 

NINIGI.  Grandchild  of  Taka-mi- 
musubi  ;  sent  to  govern  Cen- 
tral Land  of  Reed -Plains,  30  ; 
presented  with  gifts  by  Ama- 
terasu,  32  ;  gives  Uzume  as  wife 
to  the  Deity  of  the  Field -Paths, 
33 ;  meets  and  weds  Ko-no- 
hana,  34 ;  Hoderi  ("  Fire-shine  ") 
and  Hoori  ("Fire-fade"),  sons 
of,  34 

NIPPON.     Kamakura  at  one  time 

capital  of,   82  ;      pictorial  art 

given  to,  by  Buddhism,   114; 

421 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


the  No,  or  lyrical  drama  of, 
119  ;  bell-maker,  skill  of,  140  ; 
fan  of,  243  ;  tea-drinking  in, 
associated  with  Buddhism,  293 

NIPPONESE.  Women,  colour-prints 
depicting,  do  not  reveal  emo- 
tion, 113;  mirrors,  significance 
of,  190 

NIRVANA.  Genno  prays  that  the 
Jewel  Maiden  might  attain, 
97  ;  desire  for  not-being  finally 
attained  in,  109  ;  signification 
contrasted  with  Karma,  144 

"  No."  The  lyrical  drama  of 
Nippon,  119  ;  the  Takasago  one 
of  the  finest  of  the,  186 

NOGUCHI,  YONE.  See  Yone 
Noguchi 

Noxo.   Yosho  born  at,  356 


O-ANA-MOCHI.  A  deity  of  Mount 
Fuji,  132 

OBA  KAGB-CHIKA.  Yoritomo 
saved  from  power  of,  by  two 
doves,  277-278 

O  CHO  SAN.  Dwells  on  Hatsu- 
shima  Island,  337  ;  Gisuke  the 
brother  of,  338  ;  Shinsaku  the 
favoured  suitor  of,  338  ;  death 
of,  338  ;  shrine  raised  to,  339 

OGAWACHI-MYOJIN.  Shrine  of, 
referred  to,  191  ;  Matsumura, 
the  Shinto  priest  in  charge  of 
shrine  of,  191 

O-HINA-SAN.  Tiny  doll  named, 2 1 5 

OHO-KUNINUSHI.  The  Deity  of 
Kitzuki ;  the  Bronze  Horse 
and,  275 

OHO-YAMA.  Variants,  Great- 
Mountain-Possessor  and  Spirit 
of  the  Mountains  ;  father  of 
Ko-no-hane  and  Iha-naga,  34  ; 
presents  his  daughter  to  Ninigi, 
34 

OJIN.  Son  of  Empress  Jingo, 
333  ;  the  Dragon  King  presents 
the  Tide  Jewels  to,  333 

OKA-DERA.J     Place   in    Yarnato; 

^_,one  of  the  thirty-three  places 
sacred  to  Kwannon,  203 

422 


OKAKURA  KAKUZO.  The  Book  of 
Tea  by,  290 

OKI  ISLANDS.  Oribe  Shima 
banished  to  Kamishima,  one 
of  the,  333,  334 

OKI-YAM  A.  Sonobe  sent  to  great 
cryptomeria-tree  on,  181,  182 

OLD  JAPAN.  Doll  handed  down 
from  generation  to  generation 
in,  215 

OMI,  PROVINCE  OF.  Yamato 
Take  slays  serpent  in,  57 

"  ONNA  DAIGAKU  "  ("The Greater 
Learning  for  Women").  A 
treatise  by  Kaibara,  113 

ONOMO  TOKU.  Kobo  Daishi's 
work  ridiculed  by,  238 

ONO-NO-KIMI.  Appears  before 
the  Judgment  Seat  of  Emma-O, 
the  Judge  of  Souls,  140 

ORIBE  SHIMA.  Offends  Hojo 
Takatoki  and  is  banished  to 
Kamishima,  333,  334;  his  grief 
at  leaving  his  daughter,  Tokoyo, 
334  ;  sought  after  by  Tokoyo, 
334-336 ;  set  at  liberty  by 
Hojo  Takatoki,  336 

OTOHIME,  THE  PRINCESS. 
daughter  of  the  Dragon  (Sea) 
King,  325  ;  becomes  the  bride 
of  Urashima,  325  ;  bestows  gift 
of  the  "Box  of  the  Jewel 
Hand  "  (Tamate-Bako)  on  Ura- 
shima, 327 

O-TOKU-SAN.  Girl  doll  of  life- 
size  class,  215 

OTOTACHIBANA,  PRINCESS.  Wife 
of  Prince  Yamato,  51,  52  ; 
drowned  in  crossing  Straits  of 
Kadzusa,  56 

O  TOYO.  Favourite  among  ladies 
of  the  Prince  of  Hizen,  265  ; 
a  cat  in  form  of  a  woman 
causes  grievous  harm  to  Prince 
of  Hizen,  265-269 

OWARI,  PROVINCE  OF.  Yamato 
Take  passes  through,  57 

OYAMA,  GENERAL.  A  hero  of 
Japan,  xii 

OYASU.  Assumed  name  of  the 
Lady  of  the  Snow,  by  which 
she  introduces  herself  to  Kyu- 
zaemon,  153 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


OYEYAMA,  THE  GOBLIN  OF,  44-48 
OZAKI,   MADAME.      Reference  to 

story  told  by,  regarding  Koso 

and  Kohaku  Jo,  88 


PALACE,  DRAGON.  "  Evergreen 
Land ' '  appears  as,  in  ballad  of 
"The  Fisher  Boy  Urashima," 

324 

PARADISE,  THE  BUDDHIST. 
Tapestry  wrought  by  Kwannon 
depicting,  201 

PEONY.  The  Spirit  of  the,  171  ; 
the  Princess  Aya  loves,  in  the 
form  of  a  young  and  handsome 
samurai,  172,  173 

PERRY,  PROFESSOR.  Japanese 
mirrors  and,  190 

PIERRE  LOTI.  Reference  to  his 
Madame  Chrysantheme,  xi 

PIGGOTT,  SIR  F.  T.  Cherry  and 
plum  blossoms,  reference  to,  in 
The  Garden  of  Japan,  by,  174 

PLAIN  OF  HIGH  HEAVEN.  Susa- 
no-o  visits  his  sister,  Ama- 
terasu,  in,  25-27 

POETRY,  JAPANESE.  A  note  on, 
380-386 ;  Mr.  Noguchi's  The 
Pilgrimage  and,  380  ;  the  Tanka 
and  Hokku  described,  381  ; 
reference  to  the  Hyaku-nin- 
isshiu  ("  Single  Verses  by  a 
Hundred  People"),  382  ;  refer- 
ence to  a  tanka  by  Yasuhide 
Bunya,  382  ;  quotation  from 
the  "  Flower  Dance  "  of  Bingo 
province,  383  ;  quotation  from 
tanka  by  the  eleventh-century 
official  Michimasa,  383  ;  refer- 
ence to  Nature  poems,  384 ; 
English  National  Anthem  com- 
pared with  Japanese  National 
Anthem,  384  ;  quotation  from 
Nature  poem  by  Is6,  384 ; 
quotation  from  the  Ho-jo-ki 
by  twelfth-century  recluse, 
Chomei,  385  ;  touching  hokku 
quoted,  written  by  Chiyo  after 
the  death  of  her  little  son, 
385  ;  mono  no  aware  wo  shiru 


("the  Ah-ness  of  things"),  a 
phrase  which  describes  most 
accurately  the  whole  signifi- 
cance of,  386 

POISON  DRAGON,  THE.  His  evil 
influence,  193 

POLYNESIAN  MYTHOLOGY.  Rangi 
(Heaven)  and  Papa  (Earth) 
correspond  to  Japanese  In  and 
Yo,  21 

POOTOO.  Kwanjin  transported 
to  Island  of,  200 

POVERTY.  Japanese  superstitions 
and  Bimbogami,  the  God  of, 
349 ;  insect,  Bimbomushi  the 
Japanese  name  for,  349 

PRECIOUS  THINGS.  See  Hotei,  213 

"  PRIEST,  ONE-INCH."  Other- 
wise Issunboshi  ;  also  nick- 
named Little  Finger  and  Grain- 
of-Corn,  364 

PURPLE  HALL  OF  THE  NORTH 
STAR.  Emperor  sick  at,  38 


Q 


QUILT  (Futon),  THE,  of  Tottori, 
309-311 


R 


RAIDEN.  The  God  of  Thunder, 
250  ;  often  found  in  company 
with  Fugin  or  Raitaro,  250  ; 
his  favour  toward  Japan,  250 

RAIJU.      The    Thunder    Animal, 

251 

RAIKO.  I.  A  doughty  knight 
who  seeks  out  and  slays  the 
Goblin  of  Oye,  45-48  ;  pre- 
sented with  a  jar  of  magical 
sakb  (Shimben-Kidoku-Shu)  in- 
tended by  the  Goblin  King,  46  ; 
gives  sak&  to  the  Goblin,  47  ; 
slays  Goblin,  48  ;  returns  to 
Kyoto,  48  ;  his  illness,  48  ; 
restored  to  health  by  slaying 
of  the  Goblin  Spider,  49 ; 
another  version  of  the  legend, 
49-51.  II.  A  wealthy  but 
mean  man,  whose  meanness  is 
cured  by  Inari,  102,  103 

423 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


RAITARO.     Raiden,  the  Thunder 
God,  often  found  in  company 
with,  2  50;  Bimbo  and,  252,253 
RAT.       The    hour    of    the,    76 ; 

Daikoku's,  211,  212 
"  RATANA  SUTRA,"  THE.     Refer- 
ence to  Karma  in,  145 
REDESDALE,  LORD.    See  Mitford, 
98 

REIN.  Opinion  of,  re  Japanese 
and  Mongols,  xiii 

RENDAI,  PLAIN  OF,  49 

RICE,  GOD  OF.    See  Inari 

RIKIU.  The  greatest  of  tea- 
masters,  296 ;  the  friend  of 
Taiko-Hideyoshi,  296,  297 

RIN-JIN.  King  of  the  Sea ; 
Yamato  raises  anger  of,  56 ; 
anger  of,  appeased  by  Princess 
Ototachibana,  56 ;  takes  to 
wife  a  Dragon  Princess,  272- 
275;  the  jelly-fish,  the 
monkey,  and,  272-275 

RIP  VAN  WINKLE.  Visu  the,  of 
Old  Japan,  136 

RISING  SUN.  Spirit  of  Death- 
Stone  in  form  of  the  Jewel 
Maiden  at  Court  of,  98 

RIVER,  CHILD  OF  THE.  See 
Kappa,  350,  351 

RIVET  ROCK.    See  Kashima,  244 

ROAD-S.  The  pine-tree  and  the 
God  of,  176;  reference  to  the 
God  of,  346 

ROBE,  THE  FEATHER.  Brought  to 
Kaguya  by  the  Moonfolk,  78 

ROCK  ISLAND.  Kansuke  and 
Matakichi  behold  Spirit  of  the 
Great  Awabi  on,  341 

ROKKAKU-DO.  Place  at  Kyoto; 
one  of  the  thirty-three  places 
sacred  to  Kwannon,  204 

ROKO.  Depicted,  on  a  flying 
tortoise,  as  one  of  the  sennin  in 
Japanese  art,  357 

ROKUHARA-DERA.  Place  at  Kyoto; 
one  of  the  thirty-three  places 
sacred  to  Kwannon,  203 

ROSAN.  Chinese  scholar,  regaled 
with  ghostly  stories  re  butter- 
flies, 216 

ROSEI.       His    Magic    Pillow    of 

Dreams,  119-122 
424 


RUITEN.  A  priest  who  prays  for 
the  Prince  of  Hizen,  266 

RUSSIA.  Establishment  of  mili- 
tary outpost  at  Wiju  leads  to 
war  with  Japan,  329 

RYOSEKI.  High-priest  of  Shin- 
Banzui-In ;  ShinzaburS  sent 
by  Yusai  to,  231 


SACRED  KEY.  Part  of  the  cargo 
of  the  Treasure  Ship,  115,  116 

SACRIFICE,  HUMAN.  See  Super- 
stition, 342 

SADAYO.  Princess  Aya's  favourite 
maid,  172 

SAGA,  EMPEROR.  Kobo  Daishi  per- 
forms funeral  obsequies  of,  239 

SAIJOSEN.   The  Phoenix  and,  281 

SAIKOU  SANJU-SAN  SHO  ("The 
Thirty -three  Places  ").  Rever- 
ence bestowed  upon  the,  201 

SAI-NO-KAWARA.  "  The  Dry  Bed 
of  the  River  of  Souls,"  106 ; 
place  where  all  children  go  at 
death,  106  ;  the  legend  of  the 
Humming  of  the,  107 

SAION  ZENJI.  Kwannon's  sacri- 
fice on  behalf  of,  on  Mount 
Nariai,  204-206 

SAKATA  KURANDO.  Name  given 
by  Yorimitsu  to  Kintaro,  368 

SALWEY,  MRS.  C.  M.  New  Year 
Festival  described  by,  220 ; 
reference  to  the  torii  by,  226, 
227  ;  reference  to  Fans  of  Japan, 
by,  243  ;  reference  to  On  Sym- 
bolism and  Symbolic  Ceremonies 
of  the  Japanese,  by,  244 

SAMEBITO  ("A  Shark-Person"). 
Totaro  kindly  succours,  376 ; 
the  jewel-tears  of,  377-379 

SANEMORI.  A  great  warrior ; 
becomes  a  rice-devouring  insect 
called  Sanemori-San,  284 

SAN-GA-NICHI.  Pine-tree  con- 
spicuous at  the  Festival  of, 
187 

SANJO,  PRINCESS.  Issunboushi 
becomes  page  to,  365-367  ; 
the  magic  mallet  and,  366 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


SANKICHI.  Dives  from  Tarada's 
junk  and  secures  the  Woman's 
Sword,  337 

SANO  GENZALMON  TSUNEYO. 
Peasant  who  burns  three  dwarf 
trees  to  give  warmth  to  Toki- 
yori,  183-186;  goes  to  Kama- 
Kura,  185  ;  rewarded  by  Toki- 
von  by  being  presented  with 
the  villages  of  Matsu-idu, 
Umeda,  and  Sakurai,  185,  186 

SANUGI  NO  MIYAKKO.  Discovers 
Lady  Kaguya  ("Precious- 
Slender  -  Bamboo  -  of  -  the  - 
Field-of -Autumn  "),  65 

SANZU-NO-KAWA.  "  The  River 
of  the  Three  Roads "  along 
which  the  dead  journey,  222 

SAWARA.  Pupil  of  the  artist 
Tenko,  122  ;  loves  Kimi, 
Tenko's  niece,  122-125 

SAYEMON,  KATO.  A  rich  man  who 
lived  in  palace  of  the  Shogun 
Ashikaga,  370 ;  Ishidomaro 
son  of,  371  ;  becomes  a  priest 
in  the  temple  of  Kongobuji, 
on  Mount  Koya,  371 

SEA.  Legends  of  the,  323-341  ; 
Urashima  in  the  palace  of  the 
Sea-King,  325,  328;  of  Mud, 
visited  by  Shikaiya  Wasobioye, 

374 

SEA  GOD.    See  God  of  the  Sea,  35 
SEASHORE,  THE  SPIRIT   OF   THE. 

Is    unfavourable    to     Empress 

Jingo,  331 
SEFUKUJI.     Place  in  Izumi ;  one 

of  the  thirty-three  places  sacred 

to  Kwannon,  203 
SENGEN.    Otherwise  Ko-no-hana- 

saku-ya-hime ;   as  Ko-no-hana, 

the  wife  of  Ninigi,  34;  the  God- 
dess of  Fuji,  132 
SENNIN  =  mountain  recluses,  356, 

357  ;    Yosho,    the    first    great 

Japanese,  356  ;  Emmei  becomes 

a,  356  ;  Japanese  art  and,  357  ; 

Chokoro  a,  357;  Gama  a,  357; 

Tekkai  a,  357;  Kume  a,  357; 

Roko  a,  357 
SENTARO.    His  visit  to  the  Land 

of    Perpetual    Youth    (Mount 

Fuji),  133,  134 


SERPENT.  Cat  and  the,  did  not 
weep  when  the  Lord  Buddha 
died,  264 ;  the  White  Sea, 
otherwise  Yofune-Nushi,  334 

SESSHIU.  A  great  artist ;  legend 
ire  his  liberation  from  imprison- 
ment by  painting  rats,  116 

SETA.  Samebito  and  Totaro  at 
the  Long  Bridge  of,  376-379 

SEVEN  GODS  OF  GOOD  FORTUNE. 
The  favourite  theme  of  the 
Japanese  artist,  115;  Shinto- 
ism,  Taoism,  Buddhism,  and 
Brahmanism,  the  source  of  the, 

US 

SHAKA  MUNI.  The  Lord  Buddha ; 
legend  re  his  sacrifice  as  a 
hare,  255 

SHELF  OF  SOULS.  Food  placed  on, 
by  Shinzaburo,  229 

SHIDOJI.  Temple  called,  built  at 
Shido-no-ura  by  Kamatari,  92 

SHIDO-NO-URA.  Boy  of,  89 ; 
Kamatari  builds  temple  called 
Shidoji  at,  92 

SHIKO-TSUTSU  NO  Oji  ("Salt -sea- 
elder  " ).  Conveys  Hoori  to  the 
Palace  of  the  Sea  God,  35 

SHIN  KIYOMIZU-DERA.  Place  in 
Harima ;  one  of  the  thirty-three 
places  sacred  to  Kwannon,  204 

SHINGE.  Bitten  by  a  snake  in 
the  Valley  of  Shimizutani,  167  ; 
rescued  by  Yoshisawa,  167 ; 
found  dead  at  the  bottom  of  the 
Violet  Well,  168 

SHINGON-SHU.  Buddhist  sect 
founded  by  Kobo  Daishi,  234 

SHINSAKU.  Favoured  suitor  for 
hand  of  O  Cho  San,  338  ;  raises 
shrine  to  O  Cho  San,  339 

SHINTO.  Temples,  contrasted 
with  those  of  Buddhism,  114  ; 
old  custom  associated  with 
Mount  Fuji,  131  ;  cult,  "The 
Way  of  the  Gods"  symbol  of 
the  Right  Direction,  according 
to  the  dogmas  of  the,  227 

SHINTOISM.  Reverence  to  dead 
taught  by,  xii ;  legends  relating 
to  Japanese  heroes  enriched  by, 
xvi  ;  the  torit  originally  asso- 
ciated with,  226 

425 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


SHINZABURO,  HAGIWARA.  Falls 
in  love  with  Tsuyu,  228  ;  the 
sad  story  of  the  lovers'  fate, 
228-233  ;  Tomozo,  servant  of, 
230  ;  Hakuodo  Yusai  advises, 
230  ;  goes  to  the  high -priest 
Ryoseki,  231 

SHIPPEITARO.  The  phantom  cats 
and,  269,  270 

SHIRO.  Sent  by  Emma-O  to 
conquer  the  God  of  Wealth, 
211,  212 

SHITA-TERU-HIME  ("  Lower-shine- 
Princess").  Wed  by  Ame- 
waka,  31 

SHO-CHIKU-BAI.  The  name  em- 
bracing the  three  emblems  of 
the  Pine,  Bamboo,  and  Plum- 
flower,  195 

SHOGUN-S.  Kamakura,  seat  of, 
of  the  Hojo  family,  82  ;  Yedo 
Government  issues  notice  to 
Tengu  and  other  demons  prior 
to  the  visit  to  Nikko  of  the, 

355 

SHOJO.  A  sea  monster  fond  of 
sacred  sake,  359  ;  legend  re 
Yurine  and,  359-362 

SHOKURO.  The  Thunder  God, 
Raiden,  and,  254  ;  Chiyo  slain 
by,  254 ;  makes  peace  with 
Chiyo  after  she  has  been 
restored  to  life,  254 

SHONIN,  SHODO.  Founder  of  first 
Buddhist  temple  at  Nikko,  242  ; 
legend  re  sacred  bridge  of 
Nikko,  242 

SHOSHA-SAN.  Place  in  Harima; 
one  of  the  thirty-three  places 
sacred  to  Kwannon,  204 

SHUTENDOJI.  The  Goblin  King 
of  Oyeyama ;  his  doings  on 
Mount  Oye,  44-48  ;  Kimi- 
taka's  daughter  snatched  away 
by,  45  ;  Raiko  at  ball  of,  47  ; 
magic  sake  drunk  by,  47  ; 
attacked  and  slain  by  Raiko, 
47-48 

SMITH,  R.  GORDON.  Legend 
of  the  Lady  of  the  Snow  in 
his  Ancient  Tales  and  Folk- 
lore of  Japan,  122,  152,  165, 
177 

426 


SNOW,  THE  LADY  OF  THE. 
Yuki-Onna  is,  149 ;  Mosaku 
and,  149,  150;  Minokichi  and, 
149-151  ;  Mr.  R.  Gordon  Smith 
in  his  Ancient  Tales  and  Folk- 
lore of  Japan  describes,  152, 
153  ;  Kyuzaemon  and,  152,  153 

SODA,  ITO.  A  young  soldier  who 
discovers  cause  of  illness  of 
Prince  of  Hizen,  266-268 

SODZU-BABA.  The  Old  Woman  of 
the  Three  Roads,  associated  with 
the  Festival  of  the  Dead,  222  ; 
Ten  Datsu-Ba,  husband  of,  222 

SOGA  SADAYOSHI.  Visits  temple 
of  Ken-cho-ji,_  no  ;  appears 
before  Emma-O,  1 10 ;  remem- 
bered by  Jizo,  no,  in 

Sojiji.  Place  in  Settsu;  one  of 
the  thirty -three  places  sacred  to 
Kwannon,  204 

SONOBE.  Sent  by  the  Lord  of 
Kishiwada  to  cryptomeria-tree 
on  Oki-yama,  181,  182 

SPIRIT.  Of  the  Mountain,  330;  of 
the  Fields,  330  ;  of  Grass,  330  ; 
of  the  Seashore,  331  ;  of  the 
Sword,  336 

STAR  LOVERS.  Stars  (possibly 
Lyra  and  Aquila)  shine  with 
five  colours  at  yearly  meeting 
of  the,  127 

STREET  EVERLASTING.  Place  for 
ghosts  to  wander  in,  224 

STREET  OF  AGED  MEN.  Near 
Street  Everlasting,  224 

STONES.  Poetry  suggested  by 
names  given  to,  by  the  Japa- 
nese, 1 57 

SUICIDE.  Of  Japanese  lovers,  is 
called  jdshi — i.e. ,  ' '  love-death ' ' 
or  "  passion-death,"  144  ;  see 
also  hara-kiri,  or  seppuku,  161 

SULLIVAN,  SIR  ARTHUR.  Refer- 
ence to  The  Mikado,  by,  xi 

SUN  GODDESS.  Ama-terasu, 
daughter  of  Izanagi  and  Iza- 
nami,  the,  23  ;  the  dead  fear 
to  gaze  upon  the,  109 ;  the 
mirror  in  which  she  gazes 
reposes  at  Ise,  191  ;  mirror 
cakes  associated  with,  at  New 
Year  Festival,  220 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


SUPERSTITION.  Japanese,  various 
forms  of,  342-349 ;  human 
sacrifice  associated  with,  342- 
344  ;  forms  of  divination,  344- 
346  ;  unlucky  years  and  days, 
346,  347  ;  strange,  relating  to 
children,  347,  348  ;  charms 
associated  with  Japanese,  348  ; 
the  Beckoning  Leaf,  348  ; 
Bimbogami  (the  God  of 
Poverty)  and,  349 ;  Bimbo- 
mushi  ("  Poverty-Insect " )  and, 
349;  the  Baku,  358,  359 

SURUGA.  The  Elixir  of  Life  sent 
to  the  highest  mountain  in, 
by  the  Mikado,  79  ;  (see  Fuji) ; 
Visu  lived  on  plain  of,  1 36 

SUSA-NO-O  ("The  Impetuous 
Male").  Child  of  Izanagi  and 
Izanami,  23  ;  brother  of  the 
Sun  Goddess,  Ama-terasu,  25  ; 
an  undesirable  and  cruel  deity, 
25  ;  banished  by  parents  to 
Yomi,  25  ;  proposes  to  first 
visit  Plain  of  High  Heaven, 
25  ;  his  sister,  Ama-terasu,  pre- 
pares to  withstand  him,  26  ;  he 
tricks  her  by  guile,  26  ;  Ama- 
terasu  flees  from  the  cruelty 
of,  27  ;  finally  banished  to 
Yomi,  28  ;  arrives  at  River  Hi, 
29  ;  seeks  hand  of  Kushi-nada- 
hime,  29  ;  wins  her  by  slaying 
the  eight-forked  serpent,  29, 
30;  the  Tengu  =  emanations 
from,  352 

"  SUTRA,  TREASURE  -  RAINING." 
A  holy  sutra  given  by  Ryoseki 
to  Shinzaburo,  232 

SUZUKI  SHICHIRO.  Discovers 
Kiuchi  Heizayemon,  353 

SWORD.  "  The-Grass-Cleaving," 
a  divine  weapon  discovered  by 
Susa-no-o,  30 ;  given  as  a 
gift  to  Prince  Yamato,  54  ;  the 
Spirit  of  the,  336 


TAIKO-HIDEYOSHI.    The  friend  of 

Rikiu,  296,  297 
TAIRA.      Yoshitomo   killed  in   a 


battle  with,  41  ;  Kiyomori,  the 
cruel  leader  of  the  clan,  41  ; 
finally  conquered  and  driven 
into  the  sea  at  Dan-no-ura  by 
Benkei  and  Yoshitsune,  43 

TAIRA  CLAN.  Great  sea-fight  re- 
ferred to,  between  Minamoto 
clan  and,  300 

TAIRA-NO-MASAKADO.  Swarm  of 
butterflies  during  preparation 
for  revolt  by,  217 

TAKACHIHI.  Uzume  and  com- 
panions reach  summit  of,  33 

TAKAHAMA.  The  White  Butter- 
fly and,  218,  219 

TAKA-MI-MUSUBI.  God  who  sends 
Ninigi  to  govern  the  Central 
Land  of  Reed -Plains,  30 

"TAKASAGO."  I.  The  famous  pines 
of,  referred  to,  159;  Matsue, 
daughter  of  a  fisherman  at, 
187-189.  II.  Considered  one 
of  the  finest  of  the  No  or  clas- 
sical dramas,  186 

TAKERU.  Brigand,  slain  by 
Yamato,  52 

TAKERU,  IDZUMO.  Outlaw,  slain 
by  Yamato,  53 

"  TAKETORI  MONOGATARI."  F. 
Victor  Dickins's  translation 
of,  v 

TAMA.  Maid-servant  of  Kazariya 
Kyubei,  282  ;  revisit  to  master 
and  mistress  after  her  death,  in 
the  form  of  a  fly,  284 

TAMANA.  Loved  by  Totaro,  377- 
379  ;  Totaro  weds,  379 

TAMATE-BAKO.  Otherwise  "  The 
Box  of  the  Jewel  Hand  " ;  gift 
bestowed  by  Princess  Otohime 
on  Urashima,  327 

TAMBA,  PROVINCE  OF.  Raiko  and 
companions  reach,  45 

TAMEYOSHI.  Death  of  Sea 
Serpent,  Yofune  -  Nushi,  re- 
ported to,  335 

TANABATA.  Alternative,  The 
Weaving  Lady ;  daughter  of 
the  God  of  the  Firmament, 
126 ;  wife  of  Hikoboshi,  126, 
127 

TANGO.  Village  of  Midzunoe,  in 
the  province  of,  324 

427 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


TANIGUMI-DERA.  Place  near 
Tarui,  in  Mino;  one  of  the 
thirty-three  places  sacred  to 
Kwannon,  204 

f'  TANKA."  See  Japanese  Poetry, 
380-386 

TARADA,  CAPTAIN.  The  Woman's 
Sword  and,  336,  337 

TAWARA  TODA  ("  My  Lord  Bag  of 
Rice").  See  Hidesato,  62-64 

TEA.  Origin  of  first  plant,  291  ; 
in  China,  290-293  ;  Luwuh 
the  first  Chinese  tea-master, 
292  ;  Chaking  the  Holy  Scrip- 
ture of,  292  ;  drunk  by  Zen 
priests  before  image  of  Bodhi 
Dharma  (Daruma),  293  ;  Pro- 
fessor B.  H.  Chamberlain  on 
tea  ceremonies,  293  ;  pamphlet 
on,  by  Buddhist  priest  Eisai, 
293,  294  ;  Rikiu  the  greatest 
of  tea-masters,  296,  297 

TEA-DRINKING.  In  England  and 
Japan,  contrasted,  290,  291  ; 
the  Spectator  on,  290 ;  Dr. 
Johnson  regarding  his  pro- 
pensity to,  291  ;  is  a  ritual  in 
Japan,  291 

TEA-KETTLE.  Story  of  the 
miraculous,  262-264 

TE-NADZUCHI  ("  Hand  -  stroke  - 
elder").  Wife  of  Ashi-nadzuchi, 
and  mother  of  Kushi-nada- 
hime,  29 

TEN  DATSU-BA.  Husband  of 
Sodzu-Baba,  222 

TENGU.  King  of  the,  his  kind- 
ness to  Yoshitsune,  41,  42  ; 
reference  to  story  of  the,  351  ; 
Tobikawa  imitates  a,  353  ; 
modern  belief  in  the,  355  ; 
officials  of  the  Yedo  Govern- 
ment and  their  belief  in  the, 

"  TENGU-KAKUSHI  "  =  "  Hidden 
by  a  Tengu,"  353  ;  legend  giving 
an  account  of  the,  353-355 

TENJIKU.  Prince  Ishizukuri  re- 
quired to  journey  to,  in  order 
to  procure  the  Begging  Bowl 
of  the  Lord  Buddha,  67 

TENKO.  Art  master  to  Sawara  ; 
Kimi's  uncle,  122 

428 


TENNO,  ANTOKU.  Infant  Emperor 
who  perished  in  the  great  sea- 
fight  between  the  Taira  and 
Minamoto  clans,  300 

TEOYO.  Rescued  by  Matsue,  and 
loved  by  her,  188,  189 

"  THOUGHT  -  COMBINING."  A 
God  who  brings  birds  from  the 
Eternal  Land  to  tempt  the 
Sun  Goddess  back  to  Heaven, 
27,  28 

THUNDER.  Legends  in  regard  to, 
250-254;  Bakin's  Kumono 
Tayema  Ama  Yo  No  Tsuki, 
re  the  God  of,  250;  Animal; 
Raiju  the,  251;  Bird;  Raicho 
the,  251  ;  Woman,  Kaminari 
the,  252;  Child;  Raitaro  the, 
253;  Record;  Shin-rai-ki  the, 

251 

THUNDER  GODS.  Eight  varieties 
rest  on  Izanami,  24 ;  see 
Raiden,  250  ;  see  legends, 
250-254;  Shokuro  and  the, 

254 
TIDE  JEWELS.     Sent  by  hand  of 

Isora  as  a  gift  from  the  Dragon 

King  to  the  Empress  Jingo,  331 
TOBA.     I.  Emperor.     The    Jewel 

Maiden  concubine  to,  98.     II. 

Ex-Emperor.     Wishes  to  build 

temple  to  Kwannon  in  Kyoto, 

179 
TOBIKAWA.      An    ex-wrestler    of 

Matsue  who  imitates  a  Tengu, 

TOCHI.  Ishizukuri  discovers  a 
bowl  in,  which  he  offers  to 
Kaguya,  68,  69 

TOEMA-DERA.  Chujo  Hime,  a 
Buddhist  nun,  retires  to  temple 
of,  201 

TOGO,  ADMIRAL.  A  hero  of  Japan, 
xii 

TOKIMUNE,  REGENT.  Nichiren 
sent  to  beach  of  Koshigoye  to 
be  beheaded  by,  241 

TOKIWA.  Wife  of  Yoshitomo, 
mother  of  Yoshitsune  ;  at  her 
husband's  death  she  weds 
Kiyomori,  41  ;  urges  Yoshi- 
tsune to  avenge  his  father's 
death,  41 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


TOKIYORI,  SAIMYOJI.  A  cele- 
brated Regent  during  reign  of 
Emperor  Go-Fukakusa,  182  ; 
his  mission  to  relieve  peasants 
from  grasping  officials  and  its 
sequel,  182-184 

TOKOYO.  Daughter  of  Oribe 
Shima,  334  ;  her  search  after 
her  father,  334-336 ;  slays 
Yofune-Nushi  (the  White  Sea 
Serpent),  335 

TOKUDO  SHONIN.  The  great 
Buddhist  abbot  of  the  eighth 
century,  201 

TOKUTARO.  His  scepticism  re- 
garding foxes,  and  how  he  was 
deluded  by  them,  98-100 

TOKUTARO-SAN.  The  boy  doll 
of  life-size,  215 

TOKYO.  Covered  with  ashes  from 
Fuji  volcano,  131 

TOMOZO.  One  of  Shinzaburo's 
servants,  230 ;  Min6  wife  of, 

233 

!'  TORII,"  THE.  Meaning  of  = 
"  Fowl  -  dwelling  "  or  "  Bird  - 
rest,"  226  ;  reference  to  Pro- 
fessor B.  H.  Chamberlain  and, 
226;  reference  to  Dr.  W.  G. 
Aston  and,  226  ;  "  The  Foot- 
stool of  the  King  "  the  most 
perfect  gateway  in  the  world, 
227 ;  Mrs.  Salwey's  reference 
to,  227 

TOTARO.  Samebito  succoured  by, 
377  ;  falls  in  love  with 
amana,  377~379 ;  weds 


Fa' 


Tamana,  379 
309-311 


TOTTORI.     The^  futon   (quilt)  of, 


TOYO  -  TAMA  ("  Rich  -  jewel"). 
Daughter  of  the  Sea  God  ;  weds 
Hoori,  36 ;  gives  birth  to  a 
son,  assumes  form  of  a  dragon, 
and  departs  from  Hoori,  37 

TREASURE  SHIP.  The  Takara- 
bune ;  Seven  Gods  of  Good 
Fortune  as  passengers  on,  115 

TREES.  Reference  to  the  Japanese 
dwarf,  159;  the  pine,  the 
emblem  of  good  fortune  and 
longevity,  159;  the  cherry  and 
plum,  association  of  Japanese 


woman's  beauty  and  virtue 
with,  174,  175  ;  the  camellia, 
legend  regarding,  175  ;  the 
cryptomeria,  176  ;  the  God  of 
Roads  and  a  pine,  176;  Ki- 
no-o-bake,  a  tree  spirit,  176; 
the  spirit  of  the  God  Kojin 
resides  in  the  enoki  tree,  177  ; 
the  silent  pine,  177  ;  the  Willow 
Wife,  177-180;  Yenoki,  the  tree 
of  the  One-eyed  Priest,  1 80 ;  the 
burning  of  the  Three  Dwarfs, 
182,  184;  the  pine-tree  lovers, 
186-189 

TRUE  SAKAKI  TREE.  Hung  with 
jewels  and  dressed  by  Uzume 
to  tempt  Ama-terasu  back  to 
Heaven,  28 

TSUBOSAKA-DERA.  Place  in  Ya- 
mato ;  one  of  the  thirty -three 
places  sacred  to  Kwannon,  203 

TSUGARU.  Kikuo,  the  retainer  of, 
165 

TSUKI-YUMI.  The  Moon  God,  son 
of  Izanagi  and  Izanami ;  climbs 
Ladder  of  Heaven  to  become 
the  consort  of  Sun  Goddess, 
Ama-terasu,  23 

TSURE-DZURE-GUSA.  Record  by 
Kenko  written  in  fourteenth 
century,  xi 

TSUYU  ("Morning  Dew").  The 
only  daughter  of  lijima,  228  ; 
the  story  of,  illustrates  the 
power  of  Karma,  228-233  ;  falls 
in  love  with  Hagiwara  Shinza- 
bur5,  228  ;  the  story  of  their 
sad  fate,  228-233 

TUSKI  NO  IWAKSA.  Scroll  of  the 
Elixir  of  Life  sent  in  charge  of, 
to  highest  mountain  in  Suruga, 

79 

TUSNA.  Most  worthy  of  Raiko's 
retainers,  49 

"  TWENTY  -  EIGHT  FOLLOWERS." 
Personifications  of  certain  con- 
stellations, 200 


U 


UDA,    EMPEROR.       Baptized    by 
K6bo  Daishi,  239 

4*9 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


Uji  RIVER.  People  visit,  to 
witness  the  firefly  battle,  286 

UNAI.  The  Maiden  of,  313-315  ; 
Mubara  and  Chinu  lovers  of 
the  Maiden  of,  3i3-3J5 

UNDERWORLD.    Reference  to,  202 

UPPER  HORIKANE.    Tokutaro  at, 

99 

URASHIMA.  The  legend  of,  323- 
328  ;  ballad  of  "  The  Fisher 
Boy  of,"  324 ;  the  tortoise 
and,  324,  325  ;  at  the  Dragon 
(Sea)  King's  palace,  325-328  ; 
weds  Otohime,  the  Dragon 
King's  daughter,  325  ;  receives 
from  Otohime  the  gift  of  the 
"  Box  of  the  Jewel  Hand " 
(Tamate-Bako),  327  ;  the  tomb 
of,  still  shown  at  temple  in 
Kanagawa,  328 

UZUME  ("  Heavenly  -  alarming  - 
female  " ).  Dances  to  tempt  the 
Sun  Goddess  (Ama-terasu)  back 
to  Heaven,  28  ;  accompanies 
Ninigi,  33  ;  accosts  the  Deity 
of  the  Field-paths,  33  ;  reaches 
summit  of  Takachihi,  33  ;  given 
by  Ninigi  to  Deity  of  the  Field- 
paths  as  wife,  33 


Visu.  The  Rip  Van  Winkle  of 
Old  Japan ;  his  adventures 
beside  Mount  Fuji,  136-139 


W 

WAGGON  PRIEST     See  Hotei,  213 

WASA.  The  Laughing  Festival 
of,  225 

WASOBIOYE,  SHIKAIYA.  A  man 
of  Nagasaki,  a  Japanese 
Gulliver,  374-376 ;  story  of, 
adapted  from  Professor  B.  H. 
Chamberlain's  translation  in 
the  Transactions  oj  the  Asiatic 
Society  of  Japan,  374  ;  arrives 
at  Sea  of  Mud,  375  ;  meets 
Jofuku,  375  ;  starts  on  journey 
to  the  Three  Thousand  Worlds 

430 


mentioned  in  Buddhist  Scrip- 
tures, 375  ;  visits  Lands  of 
Endless  Plenty,  of  Shams,  of 
the  Followers  of  the  Antique, 
of  Paradoxes,  and  of  Giants, 

375 

WATANABE,  ISUNA.  Finds  out  all 
details  of  Kintaro's  life,  368 

WEAVING  LADY,  THE.  Festival 
of  Tanabata,  or,  126 

WELL,  THE  VIOLET.  See  Shinge, 
167 

WHEEL  OF  EXISTENCE,  THE 
GREAT,  109 

WILLIAMS,  SIR  MONIER.  His  de- 
scription of  the  lotus  flower, 
169 

WILLOW  WIFE,  THE.  Story  of, 
adapted  from  Mr.  R.  Gordon 
Smith's  A  ncient  Tales  and  Folk- 
lore of  Japan,  177  ;  Heitaro, 
husband  of  Higo,  the,  178-180 

WIND  GOD,  THE,  330 

WOMAN.  The,  in  Japanese  art, 
112,  113  ;  the  Mountain, 

WORLDS,  THREE  THOUSAND.  Men- 
tioned in  Buddhist  Scriptures, 
375  ;  Shikaiya  Wasobioye  jour- 
neys to,  375 

WRESTLERS,  THE  GHOSTLY,  in 
Omi  province,  358 

WRITING.  Legendary  origin  of 
the  Chinese  system  of,  363 


YAEGAKI.  The  Precious-Camellia 
of,  175 

YAEGIRI.  A  lady  with  whom 
Sakata  Kurando  falls  in  love, 
367  ;  gives  birth  to  Kintaro, 
or  the  Golden  Boy,  367 

YAKAMI,  PRINCESS  OF.  Eighty- 
one  brothers,  Princes  in  Japan, 
who  wish  to  marry,  256-258 

YAM  A,  FUJL     See  Fuji 

YAMATO  TAKE,  PRINCE.  Youngest 
son  of  King  Keiko,  5 1  ;  Princess 
Ototachibana  wife  of,  51  ;  his 
expedition  to  the  Southern 
Island  of  Kiushiu,  51,  52  ; 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


disguised  as  a  woman,  en- 
counters Kumaso  and  Takeru, 
52 ;  slays  Kumaso  and  Takeru, 
52;  he  encounters  and  slays 
Idzumo  Takeru,  53  ;  "  Eight- 
Arms  -  Length  -  Spear  "  given 
to,  54  ;  the  "  Grass-Cleaving- 
Sword  "  of  Murakumo  given  to, 
54  ;  meets  and  weds  Princess 
Miyadzu,  55  ;  Ainu  rising 
quelled  by,  54-56 ;  passes 
through  province  of  Owari,  57  ; 
reaches  the  province  of  Omi, 
57  ;  slays  serpent  in,  57 

"YANG"  AND  "  YIN."  The 
Chinese,  correspond  to  In  and 
Yo,  21 

YAO,  EMPEROR.  Reputed  son  of 
a  dragon,  362 

YAYOI.  The  Month  of  Increase, 
193  ;  the  Soul  of  the  Mirror, 

193,  194 

YEDO  GOVERNMENT.  Officials  of, 
and  their  belief  in  the  Tengu, 

YENOKI.  The  One-eyed  Priest 
who  served  at  temple  of  Fudo, 
on  Oki-yama,  180-182  ;  spirit 
of,  passes  into  a  great  crypto- 
meria-tree,  181  ;  in  form  of  a 
handsome  youth  allures  a  num- 
ber of  maidens  away  from  their 
lovers,  181,  182 

YELLOW  DRAGON.  See  Yellow 
River,  363 

YELLOW  RIVER.  Fuk  Hi  present 
by  Yellow  Dragon  with  mystic 
scroll  by  the,  363 

"YIH-KING"  ("Book  of 
Changes").  The  main  source 
of  Japanese  divination,  344 ; 
begun  by  Fu  Hsi  2000  B.C. 
and  added  to  by  Confucius,  344 

YOFUNE-NUSHI.  The  Serpent 
God  ;  variant,  the  White  Sea 
Serpent,  334  ;  slain  by  Tokoyo, 

335 

YOMI,  LAND  OF  (Hades).  Izanami 
creeps  away  to,  23  ;  Izanagi 
goes  to,  23  ;  Eight  Ugly 
Females  of,  24  ;  the  Even  Pass 
of,  24  ;  Susa-no-o  banished  to, 
25,28 


YONE.  Faithful  servant  of  Tsuyu, 
228-233 

YONE  NOGUCHI.  Sums  up  magic 
of  a  Japanese  night  associated 
with  the  Festival  of  the  Dead, 
224 ;  quotation  re  Japanese 
fan  from,  243  ;  reference  to 
The  Pilgrimage  by,  380 

YORIMASA.  Knight ;  encounters 
and  slays  evil  monsters  outside 
Emperor's  palace,  the  Purple 
Hall  of  the  North  Star,  38, 
39 ;  presented  with  sword 
Shishi-wo  as  a  reward,  and 
marries  the  Lady  Ayame,  39 

YORIMITSU.  A  famous  hero  who 
makes  Kintaro  his  retainer,  368, 

369 

YORITOMO.  General,  who  laid  out 
city  of  Kamakura,  83  ;  saved, 
after  defeat,  from  power  of 
Oba  Kage-chika  by  two  doves, 
277,  278 

YOROZUYA.  Proposed  husband 
for  Kimi,  123 

YOSHIMASA,  THE  LORD.  The 
Shogun  ;  mirror  presented  to, 
194 

YOSHIMINE-DERA.  Place  at  Kyoto; 
one  of  the  thirty-three  places 
sacred  to  Kwannon,  204 

YOSHISAWA.  Rescues  Shinge 
from  the  snake,  168  ;  drowns 
himself  in  the  Violet  Well, 
1 68 

YOSHITOMO.  Father  of  Yoshi- 
tsune  ;  killed  in  battle  with  the 
Taira  clan,  41  ;  Tokiwa  wife 
of,  41  ;  reference  to  story  of, 
351,  352 

YOSHITSUNE.  Compared  with  the 
Black  Prince  and  Henry  V.,  39; 
his  father,  YoshitSmo,  killed  in 
battle  with  the  Taira,  41  ; 
his  mother,  Tokiwa,  urges  him 
to  avenge  his  father's  death, 
41  ;  his  intercourse  with  the 
King  of  the  Tengu,  42  ;  news 
of  Benkei's  lawless  doings 
reaches  ears  of,  42 ;  seeks  out 
and  conquers  Benkei,  42,  43  ; 
assisted  by  Benkei,  drives  out 
th«  Taira,  43,  44 

431 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


YOSHO.    The  first  great  Japanese 

sennin,  356,  357 
YOSOJI.      Consults  the  magician 

Kamo  Yamakiko,   1 34  ;    visits 

Mount  Fuji,  134,  135 
YOUTH,  THE  LAND  OF  PERPETUAL. 

Visit  of  Sentaro  to,  133,  134 
YUKI-ONNA.      The   Lady  of  the 

Snow,  149 
YURINE.    A  poor  man  who  lived 

near  Mount  Fuji;  story  of,  359- 

362  ;   Koyuri,  son  of,  359 


YUSAI,  HAKUODO.     Gives  advice 
to  Shinzaburo,  230-232 


ZEMBEI.     Father  of  Shinge,  168 

ZEN.  Sect ;  tea-drinking  asso- 
ciated with  Buddhism  by,  293 

ZODIAC.  The  Dragon  (Tatsu) 
one  of  the  signs  of  the,  363 

ZOOLOGY.  Lafcadio  Hearn's  refer- 
ence to  ghostly,  94 


K 


IB 


RETURN  TO  the  circulation  desk  of  any 
University  of  California  Library 
or  to  the 

NORTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 
Bldg.  400,  Richmond  Field  Station 
University  of  California 
Richmond,  CA  94804-4698 

ALL  BOOKS  MAY  BE  RECALLED  AFTER  7  DAYS 
2-month  loans  may  be  renewed  by  calling 

(415)  642-6753 
1-year  loans  may  be  recharged  by  bringing  books 

to  NRLF 
Renewals  and  recharges  may  be  made  4  days 

prior  to  due  date 


DUE  AS  STAMPED 

BELOW 

JUN25199!     ( 

IT:  "   '  •'  ' 
11  A  V    c\  (\  1OQC                III! 

9  1996 

MAY  291995 

r-»n~'  ii  /VT'i-v»  ntPT. 

pJ£T)WFTiT      !WO£'£5       Q£p    j  A  onnc 

V 

V    CUUJ 

r-  09  \9|5 

c 

JU"I  l  3  1996 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  BERKELEY 
FORM  NO.  DD6,  60m,  12/80        BERKELEY,  CA  94720 


®s 


GENERAL  LIBRARY  -  U.C.  BERKELEY 


6000^87307 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


-     . 


